Burgess, Gelett et al

[Maynard Dixon] Lark, The Issues 1-24 (2 volumes) plus the Epi-Lark--Includes All Three Supplements

San Francisco, California: William Doxey, 1896-1897. [Maynard Dixon] The Lark Issues 1-24 (2 Bound Volumes) plus the Epi-Lark--Includes All Three Supplements

Nos. 1-12, May 1895 to April 1896; Nos. 13-24, May 1896 to April 1897, plus the Epilark of 1897. Gelett Burgess, et al, William Doxey, San Francisco, California, 1895-1897. 8 x 5 7/8 inches. Various paginations.

Complete run of The Lark including the Epi-Lark, including all three supplements for volumes 1, 2, and 22. Bound in two volumes. Average condition for these fragile issues. Boards show wear and soiling. Rear hinge of volume two exposed but binding remains tight. Fraying and chipping to head and foot of spine. Typical chipping to interior pages especially to wrappers with several instances where pages were roughly trimmed. Toning to the bamboo paper as common. At least three archival repairs to leaves noted. Missing initial title page for Nos. 1-12 plus 2 index pages. Fair Condition.

Rare run of the well-known San Francisco humor magazine founded in 1895 by Gelett Burgess and William Doxey. Vol. 1 is the second issue with Doxey imprint.

Volume 1, number 1 appeared May 1, 1895, with the famous couplet by Burgess:

I never saw a purple cow
I never hope to see one;
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one!

The little literary magazine gained popularity and soon reached a circulation of 3,000 but quickly lost steam and published their last volume in April of 1897, to be followed in May 1897 with the Epi-Lark. Apparently, Burgess grew tired of his one-hit-wonder of the Purple Cow and ends volume 24 as such:

Ah, yes, I wrote the "Purple Cow"—
I'm Sorry, now, I wrote it;
But I can tell you Anyhow
I'll Kill you if you Quote it!

Despite come condition issues, this set does contain the very rare Maynard Dixon supplement for volume 22, which the vast majority of available sets do not hold. Item #2578

Price: $250.00