American author and journalist (1871–1900) best known for his novels Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and The Red Badge of Courage. Crane served as a war correspondent in Cuba and Greece, an experience he drew on when crafting his famous short story “The Open Boat.” After taking up residence in Europe, Crane died of tuberculosis in Germany at the age of 28. Signed book: The Lanthorn Book Being a Small Collection of Tales and Verses read at The Sign o’ the Lanthorn, 126 William Street, New York. Edition Limited to 125 Copies, this being number 38. NY, 1898. Hardcover, 8.5 x 11.5, 54 pages. Signed by Crane in black ink at the conclusion of his short story The Wise Men. Expertly rebacked in matching suede. Binding soiled, back cover stained, various degrees of dampstaining throughout the internally sound book, a three inch tear on blank area of title page, and light staining behind “S” of Crane’s bold signature, otherwise very good condition.
In early December 1895, Irving Bacheller’s syndicate serialized an abridged version of Crane’s “The Red Badge of Courage” introducing the 24-year-old writer to the reading public. Earlier that year, in New York City, Bacheller and Crane had formed a literary club with a few other young men which they called The Sign o’ the Lanthorn. The New York Times reported that on Tuesday evening, September 22, 1896, “The Sign o’ the Lanthorn, which has its quarters in what is said to be the oldest house in the city, on William Street…[whose] rooms have been closed during the hot Summer months…were formally opened. Among the guests of the club were Theodore Roosevelt, Hamlin Garland…Stephen Crane, who is one of the charter members, read one of his characteristic stories.”
Read that evening by the author, “The Wise Men” was published two years later in this book, which is the only signed limited edition of a book containing a work of Stephen Crane. According to rare book collector Vincent Starrett (1886-1974), it was the intention of the Club to have each contributor sign his piece “but it is asserted that only between ten and fifteen copies” were signed by Crane. Leon Miller in American First Editions: Their Points and Prices, states that “25 were signed by Crane.” Crane experts Stanley Wertheim and Joseph Katz have discovered twenty-one copies signed by all six contributors. Whatever the precise number, this is a very scarce book indeed. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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