ELLIOT, W. J.; William Curry Holden

[Western Americana] The Spurs; [offered with] The Espuela Land and Cattle Company : a study of a foreign-owned ranch in Texas

Spur, Texas / Austin: The Texas Spur [from 1938] / Texas State Historical Association, 1939. First Edition. Hardcover. Only printing of this western Americana, "now quite difficult to come by." (Adams) Crown 8vo (176 x 125mm): [16],274pp, with portrait frontispiece from photograph on coated turquoise stock, three further plates, map, and vignettes in text. Publisher's lime-green cloth, beige end papers, title page printed in green and black; issued without dust jacket. A virtually pristine, apparently unread copy. The second work, originally published in 1934, is offered in the revised and augmented edition of 1970, with five new chapters on the geography and history of the Spur country prior to founding of the ranch, as well as revisions and additions to the original work, which is devoted to aspects of life on the ranch from its founding in the early 1880's. Demy 8vo (228 x 143mm): xv,[7],268pp, with 12 inserted plates from photographs and full-page map. Publisher's sand linen printed in black, map end papers, double-page photo-illustrated title page; pictorial dust jacket, priced $9.00. An excellent example, tightly bound and clean throughout. Adams (Rampaging Herd) 757 ("A history of this famous ranch by one connected with it.") and 1051. Howes E100 and H583. Reese (Six Score) 37. Fine. Item #BB2458

According to Reese, "While this book [The Spurs] is rather crudely printed and written, it gives more of the flavor of the Spur Ranch than any other book. The author worked for the Spur outfit, and there are many tales of his own personal experiences and those of his comrades." (Reese addresses Holden's near-contemporaneous account in his note to Elliot's work.) Set on more than half a million acres east of the Southern High Plains, in Garza, Kent, Dickens, and Crosby counties, Texas, some ninety miles north of Colorado City, the Spur Ranch was established in 1883 by the Esquela [Spur] Land and Cattle Company of Forth Worth. In all, the company acquired sixty-one herds and their brands. Two years later the Spur was sold to an English syndicate (English and Scottish capitalists were then investing millions of pounds sterling in the acquisition of American cattle and range privileges), which operated the ranch until 1907, when it was sold again. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Price: $349.00