How To Ski (Limited Edition) (Only Copy for Sale on the Internet) (Signed?)

Allan Healy

Published by Pocumtuck Press, Evanston, Illinois, 1940

About this Item

First Edition (SD). Once listed, this will be the Only copy of this book for sale anywhere on the Internet. Allan Healy appears to have written only one book. This one. And it is not a long book. In fact it is a short book, running all of 10 numbered pages. On the last page, an unnumbered page, we learn that this short book is a limited edition. It says 'One hundred seventy-five copies of this book have been set and printed by the author. It is illustrated with linoleum blocks cut by him and completed in the third week of December, 1940.' It was published by 'The Pocumtuck Press, out of Evanston, Illinois. When I googled The Pocumtuck Press nothing came up. Was this the Only book they ever published? Was the publishing house Mr. Healy's own creation? And did Mr. Healy sign and inscribe this book? That's an interesting question. I can't say that he did and I can't say that he didn't. You can see the signed inscription in the photo of the first front end paper. It reads 'This is what New Year's at La Crosse did to me. It's for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for Burkes(?)' And then it is signed with what appears to be initials which easily could be A.H. particularly if he merged the one side of the A with the one side of the H. It does make more sense than not that he would've been talking about himself. Saying that skiing at La Crosse (there's a Mt. La Crosse in Illinois) caused all the different experiences that the protagonist, himself, of this little book experienced. Of course this makes a big difference, whether he signed it or not, because of course he went on to become President of the United States. No, that doesn't sound true. But I'm voting for it being his initials. It seems most logical. Each one of the pages has a title and illustration. The titles are How To Ski; The Costume (' One must have skis but they are least important.'); The Necessary Equipment; The Skis; Learning to Stand; Walking On Skis; Kick Turns; Downhill Running; Stemming; and The Christie. Suffice it to say there are quite a few references to falling and some humor to boot. The book does not appear to have fallen down at all. It is in very nice condition, particularly when you take into account that it was published in 1940. The covers have only a little soiling. The label on the front has the brunt of it, and it's not much of a brunt. The label is in good shape. All six edges are in good shape. The spine is in good shape. Thin thin page edges look clean. The book is pretty square and is pretty solidly bound. I'm not seeing any cracks or spaces between any of the pages or between the covers and any of the pages. The illustrations, by the author, are quite nice, whimsical. Some are black and white. Some have a little brown, some a little blue. The pages are in nice shape. There is a little crease at the top corner of the title page and its verso copyright page. It doesn't go beyond that. I don't see any other creasing. The pages are quite clean. There is one very little red mark on one page. I don't see any other soiling if you want to call that little red mark soiling. There are no markings. No attachments. And with the exception of the signed inscription, no one has written their name or anything else anywhere in the book. What a wonderful addition to someone's collection of skiing books!!. Seller Inventory # 003621

Bibliographic Details

Title: How To Ski (Limited Edition) (Only Copy for ...

Publisher: Pocumtuck Press, Evanston, Illinois

Publication Date: 1940

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Edition: Limited Edition