DESCENT TO THE DEAD [PRESENTATION COPY TO ALBERT BENDER]

New York: Random House, 1931. Wonderful association copy inscribed and signed by Robinson Jeffers to Albert Bender. The Jeffers inscription reads "Inscribed for Albert Bender by his friend Robin. Tor House, Carmel. December, 1931." Above the inscription Jeffers has written "The soft alien twilight, worn and weak with too much humanity, hooded my mind" from the poem Subjected Earth on page 27. Albert Bender was a close friend, mentor, and patron to Robinson Jeffers. They became close friends and correspondents and even travelling companions. Bender was also a wealthy San Francisco book collector, patron of California arts and artists of his day, donor of Asian art, and known for playing a key role in the early careers of Ansel Adams and Diego Rivera. Limited Edition, number 362 of 500 copies, signed by Jeffers on the colophon. Cinnamon paper covered boards with natural Japan vellum backstrip, bottom edge rough-trimmed. A fine copy in slipcase which has a small piece missing from the bottom edge with a short split along the seam. There was no trade edition of this book. Broomfield notes in his Jeffers bibliography that "The slipcases were made too short to easily accommodate the book; with use, many split at top or bottom, and many of those have likely been discarded." See photos. . Signed by Author. Limited Edition. Hard Cover. Fine.