1950 The Rin Tin Tin Story, 2nd Issue SIGNED by Rinty's Handler Lee Duncan, WWI

James W. English

Published by Dodd, Mead & Company, 1950

The Rin Tin Tin Story. By James W. English. Illustrated with Photographs. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company. 1950, First Edition, Second Printing. Original dust jacket, INSCRIBED by handler & friend (of Rin Tin Tin) Lee Duncan. 247 p., 8 x 5.25", 8vo. In fair condition. Dust jacket shows the most wear with scuffing and chipping to edges; loss at bottom edge of rear cover ("w York" in "New York" lacking). Tear at top edge of dust jacket's rear cover; head and tail of spine lightly chipped. Both flap hinge's split at head and tail on dust jacket; toning and soiling exhibited, especially on spine. Cloth boards normally scuffed at edges and worn/bumped at corners. Head and tail of spine bumped. Black painted lettering on spine dulled, but legible. Off-setting found on front fly-leaf (verso) from an assumed laid-in clipping. Inscription found on half-title page, in ink: "To Paul Schade, from Lee Duncan, Master + friend of Rin Tin Tin Dog. 1952." Light toning throughout text-block, mostly at edges of leaves. Binding intact. Please see photos and ask questions, if any, before purchasing. Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin (September 10, 1918 August 10, 1932) was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, Lee Duncan, who nicknamed him "Rinty". Duncan trained Rin Tin Tin and obtained silent film work for the dog. Rin Tin Tin was an immediate box-office success and went on to appear in 27 Hollywood films, gaining worldwide fame. Along with the earlier canine film star Strongheart, Rin Tin Tin was responsible for greatly increasing the popularity of German Shepherd dogs as family pets. The immense profitability of his films contributed to the success of Warner Bros. Lee Duncan (1893 - 1960) was a country boy, a third-generation Californian. Lee was a great keeper of notes and letters and memos and documents. In 1917, Duncan joined the Army. He was assigned to the 135th Aero Squadron, as a gunnery corporal, and was sent to the French front. His account of this time is soldierly and understated, but he vividly recalled the morning of September 15, 1918, when he was sent to inspect the ruins of a German encampment. I came upon what might have been headquarters for some working dogs, he wrote. As he strolled around, he saw a hellish image of slaughter: about a dozen dogs, killed by artillery shells. But hiding nearby was a starving, frantic German shepherd female and a litter of five puppies. From the moment he found the dogs, Duncan considered himself a lucky man. He marvelled at the story, turning it over like a shiny stone, watching it catch the light. He thought about that luck when it came to naming the two puppies he eventually kept for himself the prettiest ones, a male and a female. He called them Rin Tin Tin and Nanette, after the good-luck charms that were popular with soldiers in France a pair of dolls, made of yarn or silk, named in honor of two young lovers who, it was said, had survived a bombing in a Paris railway station at the start of the war. INSCRIBED by Rin Tin Tin's handler and friend LEE DUNCAN. A rare find, WWI/Americana. RAREA1950BMOB 08/24 - HK1990. Seller Inventory # RAREA1950BMOB

Bibliographic Details

Title: 1950 The Rin Tin Tin Story, 2nd Issue SIGNED...
Publisher: Dodd, Mead & Company
Publication Date: 1950
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Fair
Dust Jacket Condition: Fair
Edition: 1st Edition