Archways of Life

de ACOSTA, Mercedes (Mabel Normand)

Published by Moffat, Yard and Company, New York, 1921

About this Item

First edition. Papercovered boards with printed label. Small label of the Churchill Book and Print Shop in Los Angeles, erosion on the spine, sunning and corners of the board rubbed, a good copy. Poetry by the remarkable Cuban-American lesbian poet, playwright, and socialite reputed to have conducted lesbian affairs with Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Alla Nazimova, Eva Le Gallienne, Isadora Duncan, Katharine Cornell, and Maude Adams, among others. A very amusing copy. Mabel Normand's copy with her bookplate, and Inscribed by her to herself: "For 'Mayme' with love from her friend with all the word friendship means. Mabel." Additionally Normand has Signed her name "Mabel" at 19 different poems that apparently appealed to her and at one other poem as "Mayme." Additionally she has made comments at a couple of poems (one reads "I love this"). There is also a later, apparently unrelated ownership signature. Normand was a fascinating character in her own right, a silent film star, comedienne, and apparent hedonist who lead a colorful life until her death at 37. She carried on a long affair with Mack Sennett, helped foster the career of Charlie Chaplin, wrote and directed many of her own films, was entangled in the murder of her friend and fellow bibliophile, the director William Desmond Taylor (she departed his house after borrowing some books from him, and was the last known person to see him alive), as well as in the shooting of oil broker and golfer Courtland S. Dines (shot by her chauffeur with her pistol). In 1920 she played a "split-personality" role as "Mayme" and "Rosa" in the film *What Happened to Rosa?* Hence our attribution of this book as being inscribed to herself. Seller Inventory # 383312

Bibliographic Details

Title: Archways of Life

Publisher: Moffat, Yard and Company, New York

Publication Date: 1921

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Good

Edition: 1st Edition