Ex-libris Sylvia Plath book on the market

Raptis Rare Books has recently listed for sale a copy of Alice Turner Curtis's A Little Maid of Vermont formerly belonging to Sylvia Plath. The book was given to Plath by her mother Aurelia Schober Plath with an inscription date of 10 February 1941, when the Plaths were still living in Winthrop, Massachusetts. The price is $12,500. The book comes with a four-page handwritten letter of provenance by Wellesley neighbor Cara Cruickshank.

The catalog description reads: "Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1927.

"First edition of the author’s children’s classic; from the library of Sylvia Plath. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by Grace Norcross. Presentation copy, inscribed by Sylvia Plath’s mother on the front free endpaper, “Feb. 10, 1941 To my sweetheart, Sylvia from Mommy” and with her father, Otto Plath’s, embossed library stamp. Sylvia Plath was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Her mother, Aurelia Schober Plath, was a second-generation American of Austrian descent, and her father, Otto Plath (1885–1940), was from Grabow, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany and worked as a professor of biology at Boston University. Plath would have been 8 years old when her mother inscribed the current volume to her. Accompanied by a four page autograph letter of provenance by Cara Winthrop Cruickshank describing how she came in possession of the book. The Cruickshanks were neighbors and close friends of the Plaths. After Sylvia’s death, Aurelia gave Cara’s mother several items that had belonged to Sylvia, among them this volume. The statement also provides detailed and entertaining information about the relationship between the two families, and some insight from Ms. Cruikshank about the relationship between Sylvia and her mother. In very good condition. Rare and desirable, offering an intimate glimpse into Plath’s formative years."

The book has been added to Sylvia Plath's Library on LibraryThing.

All links accessed 29 April 2022. Images form Raptis Rare Books website.

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