THE COMPLETE WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN, IMPORTANT 1902 DEFINITIVE EDITION, BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED

WHITMAN, Walt. The Complete Writings. New York and London: G.P. Putnam's Sons (Knickerbocker Press), 1902. Ten volumes. Octavo, original three-quarter green morocco gilt, raised bands, marbled boards and endpapers, top edges gilt, uncut. $8000.

“Paumanok Edition,” number 64 of only 300 numbered sets on handmade paper, with 30 tissue-guarded engravings, each volume with a hand-colored frontispiece.

This definitive edition of Whitman's works was issued under the supervision of three of his intimate friends: Richard Maurice Bucke, Thomas Harned, and perhaps most importantly, Horace Traubel, whose relationship to Whitman has been likened to that of Boswell to Johnson. With a biographical notice prepared by the literary executors. The first three volumes include Leaves of Grass and other poems, the remaining seven contain the complete prose writings. Index in Volume X. A total of 1,342 sets of the Complete Writings were produced and sold as six distinct editions; all copies have a general title page stating "The Complete Writings of Walt Whitman" and each "edition" has a half title indicating both the name of that particular edition and its limitation. This set is the fourth such "edition" listed in Myerson, with priority assumed. Myerson B4.

Scattered light foxing to interiors, more so to preliminary and concluding leaves. Several volumes with expert repairs to joints. Bindings lovely. A beautiful, near-fine set. Collected works of Whitman are extremely desirable.