Nash, Ogden; Wodehouse, P.G.; Untermeyer, Louis; Benet, Stephen Vincent; Betjeman, John; Perelman, S.J.; GIlbert, W. S.; Fitzgerald, F. Scott; Adams, Franklin; Alger, Joseph; Germand, Russell C.; Anouilh, Jean; Arnold, Matthew; Bentley, E.C.; Bentley, E.G.; Burns, Robert; Daly, Elizabeth; Fowler, H.W.; Fowler, F.G.; Fowler, William Plumer; Herbert, A.P.; Hirschfeld, Al; Holden, Raymond P.; Lundbergh, Holger; Macinnes, Helen; McCord, David; McKinney, Laurence; Mignet, F.A.M.; Morley, Christopher; Throckmorton, Cleon; Morshead, E.D.A.; Nyblom, Helena; Hold, Nils Christian; Oppenheimer, George; Potter, Stephen; Smith, Charles; Smith, Thorne; Vanderbilt, Amy; Wells, Carolyn

FROM THE PERSONAL LIBRARY OF OGDEN NASH | BOOKS INSCRIBED AND SIGNED BY NASH AND OTHERS [239 Books]

[Various]: [Various], 1886-1970. Mixed Editions. The present collection includes: Six works inscribed by Ogden Nash to his wife, Frances; Three works by Nash bearing edits in Nash's hand; and 48 books inscribed by various authors to Nash (most notably, 12 books inscribed by S. J. Perelman). It also includes 132 uninscribed books not authored by Nash, 45 of which bear his ownership inscription (and 10 of which bear the ownership inscription of Frances Nash).

1. Books written by Nash: 59 total (two of which are co-authored by another individual)
1. Volumes edited in Nash’s hand
1. 2 volumes in publisher’s bindings
2. 1 volume in “Author’s Copy” half leather binding, with dozens of pages removed (presumably to assemble a new collected edition of poems)
2. Books inscribed to Frances Leonard Nash
1. 5 works by Ogden Nash
1. 4 works in original bindings
2. 1 work in “Author’s Copy” half leather binding
2. 1 work by Anthony Trollope (The Chronicles of Barsetshire: 1. The Warden)
3. 1 volume signed by numerous members of Little, Brown and Co. publishing staff
4. 27 Author’s copies bound in half leather, not already accounted for in list above
5. 1 volume bound in full red leather
6. 21 volumes, unmarked, in standard publisher’s bindings
2. Books not authored by Nash: 180 in total
1. Volumes inscribed to Nash: 48 volumes
1. Notably, this collection includes 12 works inscribed by S.J. Perelman
2. Uninscribed volumes: 132 volumes
1. 45 of these bear Ogden Nash’s ownership inscription
2. 10 of these bear Frances Leonard Nash’s ownership inscription, generally from before her marriage
3. Notably, this collection includes a first edition, first issue of The Great Gatsby with all points present, but lacking the dust jacket.

To view the full inventory, please click HERE.

All items are in good or better condition, unless otherwise stated.

[Oversized book(s). Additional postage necessary for expedited/international orders. Economy International shipping unavailable due to size/weight restrictions. For international/expedited customers, please inquire for rates].

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NOTES

The present collection offers a window into the literary world of American poet and humorist Ogden Nash (1902–1971). It is comprised of 239 volumes published between 1886 and 1971, among which are numerous presentation and association copies. All books in the present collection come from the shared personal library of Ogden and Frances Nash. The collection spans poetry, humor, light verse, and literary criticism, and includes a significant number of first and limited editions, often in original bindings or dust jackets. Of particular note are six books inscribed by Nash to his wife, Frances (including five authored by Nash, one of which is in an “Author’s Copy” half-leather binding).

Included in the collection are 59 works by Nash, three of which feature edits to the text in Nash’s hand. Twenty-seven of these Nash publications are Author’s copies bound in half-leather. There are an additional 48 volumes bearing inscriptions to Nash from other authors and poets, most notably twelve volumes inscribed by S.J. Perelman. Among the 132 uninscribed volumes included here, 45 bear Ogden Nash’s ownership inscription (10 bear the ownership inscription of Frances Nash).

The number and range of authorial inscriptions represented in the present collections reflect Nash’s wide-ranging literary friendships and professional associations. Notable among these are twelve warmly inscribed titles by humorist S.J. Perelman, whose acerbic wit is on display in a series of affectionate, playful, and sometimes satirical inscriptions to both Nash and his wife, Frances. These volumes also reflect Perelman and Nash’s shared experiences in Hollywood and the literary scene of mid-century America.

Other highlights include inscriptions from John Betjeman, Christopher Morley, E.C. Bentley, A.P. Herbert, David McCord, William Plumer Fowler, and Holger Lundbergh, among others—each evidencing Nash’s influence and the esteem in which he was held across literary and cultural circles in the U.S. and the U.K.

Of particular note are the six books personally inscribed by Ogden Nash to his wife, Frances, often composed in his characteristic rhymed style. These inscriptions reflect a deep relationship of tenderness, humor, and enduring partnership.

The collection also includes school prize books awarded to Nash in the 1910s, including works by Matthew Arnold, Robert Burns, and Aeschylus, many bound in gilt-tooled leather and bearing formal prize inscriptions from St. George’s School. These early items chart the poet’s formative years and offer rare provenance tied to his intellectual development.