SORRY, THIS GREAT BAUM RARITY HAS BEEN SOLD

By The Candelabra's Glare

L. Frank Baum

One of only 99 signed and numbered copies by Baum (so stated, 99 copy edition). Most likely, somewhere in the neighborhood of about 50-65 copies were actually printed. Research is still being done on this. It is not clear, but some books in a large number block seem to have never showed up.

This is copy number 2 of 99 signed to his son Frank Joslyn Baum: "My dear Son Frank Joslyn Baum L. Frank Baum"

Whatever, this is a rare book in this binding with an intimate inscription like this.

The binding is in the rare suede binding, with some of the printed embellishments hand-painted by Baum himself, long ago. The signatures are loose and there are some pages missing in the front of the book. As Baum hand-bound this particular version of his beloved book of bad poetry, this book is usually seen in this condition...disbound somewhat with loose signatures.

However, the glittery endpapers are present. Baum was a "glittery" sort of fellow. All the illustrations on full pages are present.

Facsimile copies of the pages are available to replace those pages that are missing. As the hand-bound by Baum himself so perhaps the pages were missing from the start. One must consider the rarity of the book in this binding and the association to place a true value on this book, despite its flaws.

The book is housed in full-morroco leather clamshell box, gilt spine-very high quality work.

This obviously is a very special copy of this rare book, which was published in 1898, before "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," and would be a very high spot in any good L. Frank Baum Collection.