THE RANGE MEN: The Story of the Ranchers and Indians of Alberta

Toronto: William Briggs, 1913. First Edition. Hardcover. Collectible Very Good. 1st edition. Maroon cloth with gilt-stamped titles & illustration. 468pp. Illus. Former owner's signature on the front paste down (slightly offset on the ffep when the ink was not yet dry). I cannot make out the signature, but it is very likely from the time of publication. This is one of the two or three most important books of the old cattle ranges of Western Canada. The noted Toronto bookseller, Dora Hood, in her wonderful 1956 book, The Side Door, about her bookselling career, wrote, "This is by far the most authentic book on cattle ranging (sic) and I was told by one of my western buyers that there is no other on either side of the border to compare with it." She further related that after the publisher published it, the author disappeared. "After waiting for a suitable time the books were sold by the publisher at a substantial price and a good profit was realized." It reads welll in terms of accounts of interesting events, and also has a lot of range industry information in term so of the growth of the Western Canadian cattle business. A very good copy. We do note a dark stain in the upper right quadrant of the back cover. It does not visually "take over" the appearance of the cover, but it needs to be noted. A bit of the same at top of spine. Very scarce copy in descent condition and with the greatest part of the front cover illustration (shoulder's up view of cowboy wearing cowboy hat, circled by a gold rope with stirrups at the bottom) present and not worn off.