Visions in Stone: The Sculpture of William Edmondson (SIGNED BY AUTHOR)

University of Pittsburgh Press, 1973. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8 3/4 X 10 5/8 Inches. 123 PP. The son of former slaves on a plantation outside of Nashville, William Edmondson became the first African-American to have his own show at the Museum of Modern Art (October 20 - December 1, 1937). Edmondson had no formal education at all and claimed his work with stone was simply his following the calling that God put in his heart. He worked on the railroad and later as a custodian in Nashville after his folks died and he left Compton Plantation. It wasn't until he was about 60 years old that he began carving stone. His career lasted about 15 years and yielded around 300 pieces it is estimated. <br /> <br /> One of 2000 copies produced, this copy retains the original price of $14.95 on the front flap. Signed by the author Edmund Fuller directly on the title-page. Includes a 1981 brochure from "The Edmondson Retrospective" held at the Tennessee State Museum and the an original mailing card to same event. We suppose this is where the book was signed by Fuller, but his name is not on the speakers list... From the private collection of Ms. Dolores Nicholson, Nashville teacher and African-American historian. Dolores wrote a number of biographies for the highly acclaimed "Notable Black American Women, Book II, " edited by Jessie Carney Smith. Her personal blindstamp on two internal pages.