Signed book: Lady Sings the Blues. Later printing. NY: Popular Library, 1958. Paperback, 4.25 x 7, 122 pages. Signed and inscribed in blue ballpoint on the table of contents page, “For Rev. Norman Eddy, Stay as wonderful as you are, Billie Holiday.” Autographic condition: signed page detached and uniformly toned, as well as some paper loss to right edge, otherwise fine. Book condition: Poor/None. Illustrated wraps; covers separated from textblock and held together with several pieces of tape across spine; top 2″ of spine missing; chips and creases to edges; moderate soiling; yellowing; textblock broken into many pieces, with many pages entirely separated; several pages chipped along edges. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from Roger Epperson/REAL, who states in his letter, “Most likely the last autograph she ever signed.” Reverend Norman Eddy settled into Harlem in the early 1950s, establishing one of the city’s first counseling centers. Originally published in 1956, Lady Sings the Blues was a candid, and sometimes painful, retelling of Holiday’s life dealing with her various addictions, institutionalization, and struggles of being an African-American before the Civil Rights movement. RR Auction COA.
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
