Chicago Poems -- with Sandburg photo and related Letter

Henry Holt and Company, 1916. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Very Good. First issue with first page of ads in back dated 3'16 at bottom of page. Very good in dark green boards with slight rubbing to spine ends and corners, and fading to gilt title on spine (but still completely legible). Ownership inscription on flyleaf, tiny price stamped at top of rear pastedown, and offsetting to a few pages where clippings had been laid in. Included is an 8 x 10 black and white photo of Carl Sandburg and an historically significant letter that relates to it. The letter is addressed to the original owner of the book (whose name is written on the flyleaf) from a relative of hers. In November 1936, the letter-writer and a companion paid an unannounced visit to Sandburg at his home in Harbert, Michigan. While there, his friend took photos of Sandburg, including the one here (this is a copy of the original) showing Sandburg sitting by the fireplace with his famous four-volume Lincoln biography (to be released a few days later). The first and last section of the two-page typed letter talks about family matters...but the middle section covers the visit and conversation with Sandburg. He showed his visitors a photo of Lincoln's death mask with a hand in the foreground, which he called "The hand of a weary biographer of Lincoln." He talked about publication of the Lincoln biography, and the fact that 1,700 sets of the regular edition had already been sold at $20.00 each. And he spoke of a visit to Elkhart, Indiana the year before to give a lecture, and his surprise at never hearing from anyone afterwards (and the possible reason why). Also included in the letter is a description of Sandburg's house and grounds, complete with a goat-yard full of goats. A nice copy of Sandburg's first hardbound book, with very interesting associated materials.