Leaves of Grass (Deathbed Edition)
22 South Ninth Street, Philadelphia: David McKay Co., 1891-'2. Deathbed Edition, Printing 2, printed from the plates of Leaves of Grass, 1889, with annexes and additional material as in Printing 1; Binding C. Including Sands At Seventy, 1888, 1st Annex; Good Bye My Fancy, 1891, 2nd Annex; A Backward Glance O'er Travel'd Roads, 1888; and Portrait from Life. Large 8vo. 438 pp. Steel engraving portrait, with tissue guard, of Whitman at age 35. Green cloth with gilt lettering to spine; top edge gilt; deckled page edges. Minor wear to extremities; light markings on front cover; internally clean and no markings; else near fine. Item #21034
"As there are now several editions of L. of G., different texts and dates, I wish to say that I prefer and recommend this present one, complete, for future printing, if there should be any..." - Walt Whitman. First published in 1855, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing and rewriting Leaves of Grass, revising it multiple times until his death. As the end of 1891 approached, Whitman prepared a final edition of Leaves of Grass, a final compilation of over 400 poems. He died a short time later on March 26, 1892. (BAL 21441).
Price: $950.00