Author: SPEARMAN, Frank H.
Title: Whispering Smith
Description: New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1906. Hardcover. Illustrations by N.C. Wyeth. Small 8vo. Burgundy cloth with gilt and white lettering and black, white and blue pictorial stamping. 421pp, (2pp ads). Tissue-guarded color frontispiece, 3 full-page called-for plates. Very good. Mild binding edgewear only. Handsome first edition of this huge 1906 bestseller by the Nebraska bank president (1859-1937) who penned highly-regarded Western fiction as well as novels and nonfiction about railroads. This unique copy bears two interesting autograph additions: Tipped to front flyleaf is Spearman's elegant 3" X 1½" heavy stock calling card; above the printed "Mr. Frank H. Spearman" he pens in bold purple "with a holograph / ms." (not present). Fine. Below this is an irregularly-trimmed, rough rectangular 3½" X 1½" slip (three tape stains at margins touching upon several letters; undated, but circa 1960) inscribed and signed in blue ballpoint by actor ALAN LADD (1913-64). "Whispering Smith" proved so popular that there were four silent film versions and four talking film versions, plus a television series starring Audie Murphy. Ladd portrayed lead character Luke "Whispering" Smith in the 1948 version. A wonderfully unusual copy of this scarce title. .

Keywords: American Literature


See more books from our catalog: Books