Page 24 - Swann Galleries - 20th Century Illustration - Sale 2300 - January 24, 2013

23 ● MAURICE SENDAK. Eidinoff, Maxwell Leigh; and Ruchlis, Hyman. Atomics
for the Millions. Illustrations by Sendak. 8vo, blue cloth stamped in red and gold, a little
rubbed along edges; all edges trimmed and stained yellow, herringbone endpapers with
some yellowing from earlier material laid in; original dust jacket, price-clipped, toned,
scattered small chips and short clean tears along edges. Hanrahan A1.
NewYork:Whittlesey House, (1947) [500/750]
THE FIRST BOOK WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY SENDAK. First issue with herringbone finish
endpapers and with two lines on the copyright page regarding the quality of the materials due to
postwar shortages (omitted in later printings).The first book with illustrations by Sendak. Signed
by Sendak on the half-title.A previous copy that appeared at auction contained a note from the
publisher explaining how the young Sendak was asked to illustrate the book by the author,Hyman
Ruchlis, his high school physics teacher. Sendak was doing poorly in his class and this was his
way of helping improve his grade. Copies signed by Sendak are rarely encountered.