Enterprise: The Story of the Defense of The America's Cup in 1930

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1931. Hardcover. Small 4to. Blue cloth with gilt lettering and gilt/white pictorial front board stamping. xvii, 230pp. Tissue-guarded frontispiece, numerous full-page illustrations, charts (some foldouts), line drawings, tables. Very good. Binding mildly edgeworn and rear inner hinge a tad delicate but archivally strengthened, thus tight; text block bright and tight and near fine. Handsome first trade edition. Not only does Vanderbilt boldly sign the title page in full in blue ink, but neatly tipped to the front flyleaf is a Typed Note Signed from him, 1p, 7" X 7½", New York, NY, 28 July 1964. Addressed to Lucien S. Hanks. Fine. On imprinted letterhead, the yachtsman tells this admirer "I would be only too happy to autograph your copy of my Enterprise book if you will send it to me...." Boldly signed in full in blue ink. Recipient Lucien S. Hanks II (whose small name/address inkstamp appears on inner flyleaf) was a Wisconsin realtor (1907-92) whose namesake grandfather, Madison banker Lucien S. Hanks (1838-1925), earned a footnote in Abraham Lincoln history with his claim that once, when sharing a bed with Lincoln during Lincoln's visit to Janesville, the latter tossed and turned so much in his sleep that Hanks was forced to abandon the bed and sleep on the floor. Vanderbilt (1884-1970) of THE Vanderbilt family was a railroad executive and world-class bridge player, but is best remembered as a champion yachtsman. An attractive and unusual copy, both signed by Vanderbilt and with letter from him.