GLINDA OF OZ

Chicago: The Reilly & Lee Co, 1920. First edition. Near fine.. First printing of this continuation of the OZ series, Baum's last foray into his magical world published after his death – an especially nice copy. In his later life, Baum tried to abandon Oz, but deluges of letters from children and incredible sales numbers drew him back to the marvelous land. After the end of WWI, holiday sales of his Oz books skyrocketed, prompting Reilly and Lee to proactively bump up the price of GLINDA OF OZ up to $2.00. GLINDA was in its final edits when Baum passed away in 1919, making it his final Oz title before Ruth Plumly Thompson assumed the mantle of Royal Historian of Oz. This is a particularly bright copy. 9'' x 6.5''. Original green cloth boards with large color pictorial onlay. Color frontispiece with nine color plates and numerous black-and-white illustrations. 280 pages, with type damage on page 150 that places it in the first press run (Bienvenue, 81). Tiny embossed bookseller's stamp to upper corner of front flyleaf. Binding with mild edgewear, light bumping to spine ends; a touch of rubbing to onlay. Leaves with an occasional touch of marginal soil. Tight. (Inventory #: 14344)