[Ward Ritchie] Jeffers, Robinson, Lincoln Steffens

[Robinson Jeffers][Carmel, California] Collection of the Carmel Cymbal and The Carmelite Newspapers, 1926-1932, with letter from Ward Ritchie

Carmel, California: W.K. Bassett, 1926-1932. [Ward Ritchie] Jeffers, Robinson and Lincoln Steffens, Collection of the Carmel Cymbal and The Carmelite, 1926-1932, with letter from Ward
Ritchie

7 issues of The Carmelite and 13 issues of
The Carmel Cymbal, each 12 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches, various paginations, 1926-1932, Carmel, CA: The Cymbal Press; The Carmelite Publishing Company. Plus, manuscript letter from Ward Ritchie on his letterhead dated in 1993, and reply from Jeffers collector and scholar, Allen K Mears. The papers generally very good with toning, occasional staining and edge chipping. Vol 1 Number 44 of the Carmelite good with some loss to front cover, but as Ritchie notes in
his letter, the special Robinson Jeffers section intact. This set also holds the Robinson Jeffers Supplement issue of December 12, 1928.

A nice collection of several of Jeffers' poetry first appearances, and articles on him in the local arts periodicals, The Carmel Cymbal and The Carmelite. Most of these issues from the collection of noted Jeffers scholar, and honorary trustee on the board of the Tor House Foundation, Allen K. Mears. Mears collected and promoted Jeffers' works, and contributed to several publications including the five-volume Collected Poetry edited by Tim Hunt; the three volume Collected Letters edited by
James Karman; and Michael Broomfield's descriptive bibliography. At least one of these issues was gifted to Mears by the great California printer, Ward Ritchie, his note describing the issue and agreeing to inscribe a book sent by Mears. Four additional issues added to the collection over time by Stellar Books & Ephemera.

The Carmel area long has attracted artists and writers including Jack London, Sinclair Lewis, Upton Sinclair, Robinson Jeffers, Mary Austin, George Sterling, Lincoln Steffens and others. The "Carmel Cymbal" and later "Carmelite" were weekly publications which focused on the art and social scene of Carmel. Of all the writers associated with Carmel, Robinson Jeffers played an outsized role and the Cymbal and Carmelite reflected Jeffers influence.

Willard Kenneth Bassett (1887-1954) was the long-time publisher, a noted newspaperman, editor, and political figure in California and Hawaii.

The following issues contain material by or about Robinson Jeffers. VOL. ONE, NO. SIX, JUNE 15, 1926 (two tongue-in-cheek anecdotes about Jeffers and George Sterling by editor Bassett, "Poets Really Do Get Easy Money" and "Wherein One Poet Talks Not and the Other One Shoots Squirrels"; and article by George Sterling, "George Sterling on Jeffers"). VOL. TWO, NO. TWO, JULY 13, 1926 (first appearance of Jeffers' poem "Compensation"). VOL. TWO, NO. SIX, AUGUST 10, 1926 (photo of ballerina Adeline Rotti; decorated with linocuts by Virginia Burton and Robert W. Hestwood). VOL. TWO, NO. NINE, AUGUST 31, 1926 (decorated with linocuts). VOL. TWO, NO. THIRTEEN, SEPTEMBER 29, 1926 (reproduction of full-length portrait of Jeffers by Rem Remsen on cover; article by Dora C. Hagemeyer mentioning Jeffers). VOL. TWO, NO. 15, OCTOBER 13, 1926 (decorated with linocuts, including "picturization" of a scene in "Tamar" by Alexander King; photo of Edgar Lee Masters, George Sterling, Gaylord Wilshire, Jeffers, Donnan and Garth at Tor House).

VOL. II, NO. 21, NOVEMBER 24, 1926 (sketch of George Sterling on front cover and in memoriam article by Jeffers "A Great Poet on Sterling" as well as ones by the editor and by Herbert Heron) CHRISTMAS ISSUE 1926 (first appearance of Jeffers' poem "Consciousness" [A 37]; small announcement of upcoming publication of THE WOMEN AT POINT SUR).VOL. III, NO. 8, FEBRUARY 23, 1927 (Heywood Broun's review of George Sterling's "ROBINSON JEFFERS: THE MAN AND THE ARTIST reprinted from the New York World).VOL. III, NO. 9, MARCH 2, 1927 (reproduction of full-length portrait of Jeffers by Rem Remsen on cover).

JEFFERS, Robinson, Lincoln Steffens, (Ward Ritchie). ROBINSON JEFFERS SUPPLEMENT TO THE CARMELITE [A WEEKLY CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA NEWSPAPER]; Together with Volume 1, Number 44, the issue with which it appeared and AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY WARD RITCHIE]. Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA: December 12, 1928).First edition. The 16-page supplement includes the first appearance of three Jeffers poems, "Evening Ebb," "Hands," and "Hooded Night," and a facsimile of the manuscript for "Evening Ebb." Also includes essays by Lincoln Steffens, Edgar Lee Masters, Sara Bard Field, Witter Bynner, Carl Sandburg, et al; longer articles by Ella Winter and others; Jeffers' letter to James Rorty on "The Women at Point Sur" (first appearance in print); Rorty's review of "Cawdor" and his article regarding Jeffers and the Book Club of California. Illustrated with black-and-white photos of Jeffers, wife Una, and their environs. Numerous other short articles and observations on Jeffers and wife Una.

The collection includes:

The Carmel Cymbal

Vol. One, No. Six, June 15, 1926
Vol. Two, No. One, July 6, 1926
Vol. Two, No. Two, July 13, 1926
Vol. Two, No. Six, August 10, 1926
Vol. Two, No. Nine, August 31, 1926
Vol. Two, No. Thirteen, Sept. 29, 1926
Vol. II, No. 15, Oct. 13, 1926
Vol. II, No. 17, October 27, 1926
Vol. II, No. 19, November 10, 1926
Nov 24, 1926
Christmas, 1926
Vol. III, No. 8, Feb. 23, 1927
Vol. III, No. 9, Mar. 2nd, 1927

The Carmelite

Vol. I, No. 25
Vol. I, No. 44: The Robinson Jeffers Number [with] Robinson Jeffers Supplement to The Carmelite, December 12, 1928
Vol. V, No. 6, March 31, 1932
Vol. V, No. 6 [sic] April 7, 1932
Vol. V, No. 15, June 9, 1932
Vol. V, No. 32, October 6, 1932

A nice collection of scarce periodicals, centered on Jeffers, and with links to the later bibliophile and fine printing circles of California through
Ward Ritchie and Allen Mears. Item #2698

Price: $850.00