With Self Portraits by Vonnegut, Bradbury, Beattie, Connelly, Whitehead

Lord John Signatures [and] Autographs (cover title)

King, Stephen (introduction); edited by Herb Yellin

Notes: Lord John Signatures was a rather strange concept for a book. It is a series of portraits of authors, signed by them, followed by pictures of other famous people with facsimiles of their signatures. The book is bound with blank leaves for the owners of the books to collect autographs on. With an introductory essay by Stephen King about autographs, signed by King at the end of his essay.

The book was published in an edition of 576 copies, with various limitations, plus a few extras, all of which are signed by some 40 writers, including Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris, Gerald Ford, Jim Harrison, Harry Crews, Tony Hillerman, Ursula Le Guin, Elmore Leonard, Joyce Carol Oates, Anne Tyler, John Updike, Eudora Welty, Donald E. Westlake, etc.

This is one of a small number of copies accompanied by a second volume, identical in format to Lord John Signatures, but bound in brown cloth with "Autographs" on the cover. The book is made up of an incomplete set of extra sheets from Lord John Signatures, with blank leaves to fill in for the missing sheets.

Lord John Signatures Pagination: xii [2 blank leaves] 3–16, 15a, 16a, 17–38 [blank leaf] [4] 41–75 [blank] [3] [blank leaf]. Autographs Pagination: xii [6 blank leaves] 11–16, 15a, 16a, 17–22 [6 leaves] 37–38 [4] 43–75 [blank] [3] [blank leaf]. Both volumes are 10-3/4 by 7-3/4 inches (oblong).

Housed in a custom black-cloth clamshell box.

Edition + Condition: First editions (first printings). Fine copies in cloth bindings, without dust jackets, as issued. The Autograph volume includes the preface signed by Stephen King, so there are two King signatures in this set. Also signing the pages in both volumes are President Gerald Ford, Harry Crews, Ursula K. LeGuin, Norman Mailer, Eudora Welty, Richard Yates, and others.

These volumes were used by the prior owner as intended, to collect autographs, and are ready for another collector to continue the tradition. The Autographs volume is inscribed by the publisher, Herb Yellin: "For Tom Garner: Who understands what Lord John Pres is all about and knows about books...and got it with the signatures book. Herb Yellin", with a small cartoon of a face.

Over the years, Tom Garner added dozens of autographs to both books, often requesting a self-portrait drawing. Among those signing with a drawing are Kurt Vonnegut, Joe R. Lansdale, Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead, Michael Connelly, Tim O'Brien, Andre Dubus, Ann Beattie (who adds, "Buck teeth do not a great writer make), Elmer Kelton, Dan Simmons, Thomas McGuane, Ray Bradbury, plus a few I couldn't identify for sure.

A unique collection of more than a hundred autographs.

Publication: Northridge, CA: Lord John Press, 1991.

Item No: #362396

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