The King Ranch

Kingsville, TX: Printed for the King Ranch, 1957. First Edition. Fine. First edition, the special limited "Saddle Blanket Issue" of the centennial history of the largest ranch in Texas. One of 3,000 copies produced exclusively for the ranch; none were intended for sale and copies were originally gifted to recipients. Nearly forty years after publication, in 1992, the King Ranch offered 250 copies to members of the Book Club of Texas and this is one of those copies. Rare, in original cardboard mailing box as issued by the Book Club of Texas, with prospectus, pamphlet entitled "The Book of all Christendom", original invoice and transmittal envelope laid in. Two volumes, printed on all rag paper specially made for this book by the Curtis Paper Company, bound in heavy crush linen stamped in brown decorations resembling the King Ranch saddle blanket and their running "W" brand, housed in linen slipcase with leather label to spine lettered in gilt. Volumes Fine, virtually unread. Title label to slipcase is dried and beginning to flake, as it is with most copies, although otherwise essentially appearing as new. Originally planned as a 250-350 page private edition to be published on the occasion of the King Ranch centennial in 1953, the project grew to an 838 page trade book. The physical dimensions of the book and the internal design with its ample page margins and expansive chapter head designs are reflective of the immense scale of the King Ranch. A fantastic copy of a beautifully produced book. (Inventory #: 140948106)