“THE POET OF CHILDHOOD”

FIELD, Eugene. The Writings in Prose and Verse of Eugene Field. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1896. Ten volumes. Small octavo, contemporary three-quarter dark green crushed morocco gilt, raised bands, marbled boards and endpapers, top edges gilt, uncut. $750.

First collected edition of Eugene Field’s works, published just one year after his death, each volume with frontispiece portrait or illustration.

In addition to his popular verses for children, Field is best known for his satirical newspaper column in the Chicago Morning News entitled “Sharps and Flats,” and for his lullaby “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.” He was an avid book-collector, and this set includes his unfinished fictional autobiography, “The Love Affairs of a Bibliomaniac,” with a foldout facsimile of a page of Field’s fair copy. Two volumes were later added to the collected works in 1900.

Spines sunned, otherwise fine condition. A handsome set.