Of Mice and Men - SIGNED by Steinbeck, John - 1937

New York: Covici-Friede, 1937. A First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. Near fine in a near fine unclipped dust jacket. All first issue points present ("pendula" on page 9, dot between the page numbers on page 88.) in a near fine first issue dust jacket ($2.00 on front flap). Inscribed and signed by Steinbeck on the front free end paper. Housed in a custom-made collector's clamshell case. This copy inscribed to prominent San Francisco doctor Ernest DuBray. The book has a funny history. Dr. DuBray was a conservative bibliophile and member of a San Francisco bookstore club that sent inscribed editions of new California books to its members. Dr. DuBray disliked Steinbeck and so apparently never read the book, but he dutifully and properly stored it in his antiquarian collection. As a result, the text block looks like new, but the boards are slightly bowed. The spine of the jacket has a touch of age-toning, two very short closed tears, one at the top and one at the bottom of the front panel, and tiny chipping at the bottom of the front flap. A very nice copy.