Ideas of Order. de Stevens, Wallace, 1879-1955 - 1935

New York, The Alcestis Press, 1935. First Edition. Soft Cover. Signed. 63 pages, 1 leaf; 24 cm. Edelstein A2.a quotes a Stevens letter to Latimer: "The book has just arrived and gives me the greatest possible pleasure. It must have taken no end of time and put you and Mr. [Willard] Maas to no end of trouble. But here it is, and it strikes me, quite regardless of its contents, as being a very good job. Too bad that I can't read it. Of course if I were to read any of these things again I should jump out of my skin." "Let me say this: you have been generous in sending me ten copies, and while that seems to have been our agreement, I had forgotten it until Mr. Ney reminded me of it. The chances are that you cannot possibly come out whole, even if you sold the whole edition without difficulty and received the full price for each copy. If I am right about this, and my guess is that I am, don't think of sending me any money. The book is a handsome piece of work, and as it probably will be your first book I should be very glad to go along with you without any royalties or anything of the sort. In fact, it would jolt me to think of royalties under the circumstances." // "This first edition... is strictly limited to 165 copies, signed by the author. Twenty copies, numbered I-XX, are printed on Duca di Modena, an Italian handmade paper, for presentation purposes; 135 copies, numbered 1-135 on Strathmore permanent all-rag paper, are for sale, and 10 copies, marked out of series, are for review." This copy of Ideas of Order has Roman numeral V and Stevens's signature, a calligraphic nightmare which I took to be "Lanac Drumm," one of his "ghostlier demarcations". Inscribed on the second front blank "To S. Foster Damon / who combined kind / deeds with kind / words / J R L Latimer." // Included with the book is Alcestis: A Poetry Quarterly, Vol. I, No. 1, October, 1934 (Edelstein B88; 'Alcestis' only lasted through four numbers), in which were first published eight Stevens poems (the Table of Contents says seven) including The Idea of Order at Key West. This copy of Alcestis is inscribed, on the first page, "To Ernie from Foster." // The two items are protected in a clamshell case made by Jim Dimarcantonio of Hope Bindery. Ideas of Order is in its original glassine jacket with part missing from the jacket spine; edges of the tan paper covers of Alcestis are slightly chipped; both are in lovely condition. Stock#OB987.