Foster Joseph Okane (8 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Fair. Limited Edition. Condition: Good/fair. The text is in very good condition with no marks or underlining. No dog-eared pages nor previous owner's bookplate. The text is purposely on a variety of colored paper, each color choice suggesting a mood or emotion for the words. Some pages are discolored but the text is not affected. The cover is in fair/poor condition with tears to edges and spine ends, with some spotting and creasing. Besides the fascinating story of the conquest of the Aztec empire by Hernan Cortes, 400-600 Spanish soldiers, and thousands of indigenous allies, this book is a fascinating product of a small press in Taos, New Mexico in 1940. Its author, Joseph O'Kane Foster (1898 - c.1972), set the text by hand and printed the book on a platen press. Foster was a reporter and writer. Born in Chicago, he attended the University of Wisconsin (1915-19) and joined the editorial staff of the Chicago Evening newspaper in 1920. During the 20s and 30s he wrote for various magazines and newspapers. THE GREAT MONTEZUMA (written in 1936) was his first published book, but it had to be self-published. His prose poem was described by the author as being a film play. It was followed by other books: IN THE NIGHT DID I SING (1942), A COW IS TOO MUCH TROUBLE IN LOS ANGELES (1952), STREET OF THE BAREFOOT LOVERS (1953), TIME TO EMBRACE(1955), STEPHANA (1959), and D.H. LAWRENCE IN TAOS (1972). The design of the book was created by recent New York - Taos transplant Thomas Benrimo, a teacher and artist who wrote of his color choices and design as "an attempt ? to establish an emotional relationship between the poetic implications inherent in Mr. Foster's work and the psychophysical and psychological qualities of color." The book is a lyrical, often powerful examination of the initial Spanish contact with the mighty Aztec empire. The meetings between the emperor Montezuma (Moctezuma) and the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes in 1519 are very well described, even if poetic license and imagination are an essential part. The subsequent battles and uncertainties by both parties are fascinating and ultimately heart-rending as a mighty empire (though not a gentle one) falls. Signed by Author(s).

239 pp. 4to. Publisher's decorated wrappers, with tissue overlay. First edition; #875 of 1250 signed and numbered copies. Some foxing to wrappers and preliminaries; really quite nice.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. Limited/Numbered. Protected in the original glassine dust wrapper. 247 pages printed on multi-colored paper, with soft cover wraps. Cover and wrapper have light foxing, with small edge wear/tears. Some interior pages have light edge browning/foxing. BINDING AND HINGES STRONG AND TIGHT. NO LABELS OR INSCRIPTIONS. "In these colorful dramatic pages, the author gives a clue to what was hitherto a historical mystery how ten million Aztecs were overwhelmed and defeated by four hundred Spaniards, sixteen horses and a slave girl". Signed by Author(s).

Condition: Fair. SIGNED! Ranchos de Taos, NM: Ranchos Press, 1940. Sm 4to Paperback. 239pp. Limited edition # 634/1250. Signed by author on limitation page. Near good book. Chips and tearing to wrappers. Some fading to edges of multicolored paper. Mild foxing. Contains letter from the publisher signed by someone from Ranchos Press. (Montezuma, Cortes, historical drama) Inquire if you need further information.

Soft Cover. Good. In publisher's soft wraps with tissue protective cover and in various colored pages. This issue is number 563 of 1250, signed by the author. Square and intact binding. Clean and unmarked text pages. Bumping of front cover edges. Small holes on edge of a few lower middle pages. Photos upon request. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Softcover. Condition: Near Fine. First Edition. Softcover limited to 1250 copies. No. 158 of 1250 copies signed by Foster to the limitation page. Pages lightly toned, slight insecting. With the original lightly toned/chipped glassine. ; Large 8vo 9" - 10" tall; 239 pages; Signed by Author.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Limited Edition. 8vo. 237 pages, plus notes. Copy 161 of 1250. Paper covers; laid in to front are 2 copies of the publisher's promotional materials with order forms, a green Christmas gift tag bookmark designating the book as exhibited in the San Francisco World's Fair, and a handwritten note from the author's wife; printed on multiple colors of paper; signed by author in black ink to limitation page; pictorial dust jacket. Negligible wear to covers; some soiling and wear with small closed tears to jacket. A very good plus copy in a very good minus jacket. Signed by Author(s).

Unknown Binding. Condition: Very Good. Ranchos Press January 1940 Binding: 725 OF 1250 SIGNED COPIES.