saxton pope. The Adventurous Bowmen

[rendalen]

Hello
I was wondring about this book. Did it come with a dust jacket when it was first published in 1926 ?
All i find of the first edition is without the wrapper.

[Wade Phillips]

rendalen -

Yes the 1926 Edition had a very nice dust jacket that featured the famous photograph of Art Young & Saxton Pope with a lion.

While the dust jacket is uncommon, finding one in near mint condition is quite rare.

Perhaps equally as rare as this particular First Edition dust jacket is an "Adventurous Bowmen" inscribed by Saxton Pope to another noteworthy person.

I have been an admirer of Pope's writings since 1958 when, because of my interest in archery, my father bought me a copy of Pope's much better known book "Hunting with the Bow & Arrow", which I still have.

In addition to that copy from my father, during the past 59 years since 1958, I have acquired  every edition of every one of Pope's books that was printed before my father passed away on 1960.

To me, Pope is unquestionably the 20th century's best author in the field of the bow & arrow, although there many great ones.

[rendalen]

Hello
Thank you verry much. I got hold of a verry nice first edition but it did not have the dustjacket i am afraid.
Do you have the first edition with the dust jacket ?

[Wade Phillips]

Yes, I have owned a few of these dust jackets over the years.

I have one with an exceptionally nice dust jacket that sits on my desk with other books signed by Art Young or Saxton Pope.

The book this dust jacket is on is also in exceptional condition. Obviously it was never read from cover to cover as it has many uncut pages.

[Wade Phillips]

Does your very nice copy have a cover that is crisp as this one?

   

[rendalen]

Hello
No, yours are better.It is not every day you see a new 91 year old book. It looks like i have some more searching in front of me finding one with a dust wrapper in good shape for a good price. But that is the fun part. May i trouble you for a pickture of the said dust jacket ?
I started reading hunting with the bow and arrow a few years ago and the 1970`s softback edition i was reading dissolved in my hands.

[Wade Phillips]

Yes, you are correct, "It is not every day you see a new 91 year old book." I acquired this book from an old time book dealer who went through tens of thousands of books. I would be more than happy to give you his contact information, but unfortunately, like so many of my old friends, he is no longer around to find archery books.

The above image is the book that has the dust jacket. The condition of this book is proof that this dust jacket did in fact do what it was designed to, protect the book.

This is the dust jacket that you are looking for... It is the one on the above book.

The best of luck in your search. I'm certain you will find many additional books during your searches.  

       

[Wade Phillips]

The companion read to Pope's "Adventurous Bowmen" is Stewart Edward White's 1926 "Lions in the Path", which has an interesting & colorful dust jacket.

Although White was a professional writer and authored more than 40 titles, IMHO, Pope was still a much better writer as well as a much better bowman.

Another book of White's that is worth reading is "The Land of Footprints" (1912).

I view White as the 1920s version of Bill Negley as far as hunting with the bow and arrow.

[Wade Phillips]

Regarding your earlier reference to the 1970's soft cover edition that Bear published, it had the distasteful characteristic of falling apart at the spine. Not sure if the glue that was used on the spine was a problem when they were printed or if the glue went bad as the book aged.

[rendalen]

Thank you for the pickture. It realy was a nice jacket. I wil check out Stewart Edward White. These books is not to be found in Norway i am shure. Thank you for alot of good information on archery books, i had not heard of White before. Regarding the Bear pope edition.
It looks like the glue turnes to dust with age,i have had this happen to other soft cover books and it looks like the glue used dont age well.

[Wade Phillips]

If you are interested in collecting vintage archery books, I would suggest you find a copy of Fred Lake's very fine book, "A Bibliography of Archery" by Fred Lake and Hal Wright.

Although a bit outdated now as it was published in 1974, this extensive reference book of archery titles is worth its weight in gold for the serious collector of vintage archery books and magazines.

[rendalen]

Thanks for the tip. I have already ordered a copy.
Regarding this :Perhaps equally as rare as this particular First Edition dust jacket is an "Adventurous Bowmen" inscribed by Saxton Pope to another noteworthy person. I am a little curious about this one, would you shed some light on it ? Is it Art Young perhaps ?

[Wade Phillips]

Books that are simply signed by the author are always desired by the serious book collector.

In the case of "The Adventurous Bowmen", the book was printed in 1926 and Pope (a medical doctor) died of phenomena on the morning of August 8, of that year. Obviously, Pope did not live long enough after the book was published to sign many copies of the book. So naturally there are only a handful of autographed copies of this book known.

The particular "The Adventurous Bowmen" that you ask about is inscribed to his surgical nurse, who was certainly a noteworthy person in Pope's world. Incidentally, she also was also Ishi's nurse before his death in 1916...

Pope inscribed in his distinctive printed hand, "To Helena Jorgensen who has been a surgical nurse & helped me so many ways - though not in shooting lions - Saxton Pope July 20, 1926"

Pope inscribed this book on July 20, 1926, he died a short 19 days later, on the morning of August 8, 1926.

Undoubtedly, this is one of the final copies of "The Adventurous Bowmen" that Pope inscribed before his death.

[crazynate]

Sweet books

[rendalen]

Wade
Do you know if Helena Jørgensen was originally from Norway or Denmark ? It is a typical Norwegian and Danish surname.

[rendalen]

I started Reading my copy yesterday and i can`t put it down, what a great book.

[Wade Phillips]

Originally posted by rendalen:
Wade
Do you know if Helena Jørgensen was originally from Norway or Denmark ? It is a typical Norwegian and Danish surname.

Sorry, don't known anything of her life before her association with Pope.