THE WILDERNESS OF THE NORTH PACIFIC COAST ISLANDS Charles Sheldon | Charles

Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1912 First Edition — Association Copy — Robert Frothingham

Provenance

ABOUT THIS COPY

This is a first edition, first printing of Charles Sheldon’s classic 1912 hunting and natural history

narrative, published by Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. What makes this copy exceptional is

its provenance: the front free endpaper bears the bold ownership signature of Robert

Frothingham, inscribed “New York ‘14” — meaning Frothingham signed and dated this book in

New York in 1914, just two years after it was published.

This copy was acquired directly from the Frothingham family library at Sacandaga Lake, New

York, where Frothingham maintained his personal library.

WHO WAS ROBERT FROTHINGHAM?

Robert Frothingham (1865–1937) was a prominent New York literary figure, anthologist, and

outdoors writer. He compiled the celebrated “Songs of” anthology series for Houghton Mifflin,

including Songs of Men (1918), Songs of Dogs (1920), Songs of Horses (1920), and Songs of

the Sea and Sailors’ Chanteys (1924). He was personally connected to writers including

Christopher Morley and Joseph Conrad. His signature is preserved in the permanent collection

of the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin, as part of the Greenwich Village

Bookshop Door archive.

A man of Frothingham’s literary and sporting interests owning Sheldon’s 1912 hunting classic

within two years of publication is entirely authentic — these books circulated directly in his NewYork outdoors-and-letters world.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Charles Sheldon (1867–1928) was one of the most important American conservationists of the

early 20th century. He is best known as the driving force behind the creation of Denali National

Park (originally Mount McKinley National Park) in Alaska. The Wilderness of the North Pacific

Coast Islands documents his hunting expeditions in search of wapiti, bears, and caribou on the

larger coast islands of British Columbia and Alaska. It was published by Scribner’s in 1912 as

the second volume in Sheldon’s wilderness trilogy, following The Wilderness of the Upper Yukon

(1911).

The book is illustrated throughout with photographs and drawings, including the striking Carl

Rungius frontispiece, “The Montague Island Bear.”

PHYSICAL CONDITION

Binding: Original dark green cloth, tight and square, no warping

Front board: Gilt title lettering and gilt bear illustration — bright and well-defined

Spine: Gilt lettering fully legible, no fading or loss

Pages: Clean, no foxing noted, no underlining or marginalia

Frontispiece: Present and intact (Carl Rungius, “The Montague Island Bear”)

Provenance inscription: Bold, clear ownership signature of Robert Frothingham, “New

York ‘14,” on front free endpaper

No dust jacket — as issued (this title was not published with a dust jacket)

Overall grade: Very Good