The Westerners Brand Book 1944: Being a collection of the original papers presented at the meetings of The Westerners and also of the discussions in which they participated during the first year, March, 1944, to March, 1945, at Chicago, Illinois

Chicago: The Westerners, 1946. Hardcover. Small 4to. Tan cloth with gilt lettering and decoration. 151pp, (9pp). Line drawings. Near fine. A tight, handsome first edition of the first title published by this well-known group of Chicago-area Western Americana buffs. Features such articles as Everett D. Graff's "The Westerners Go Overland; Retread the Various Routes to California," Albert S. Johannsen's "The House of Beadle and Adams, and Its Dime and Nickel Novels," Clarence S. Paine's "She Laid Her Pistol Down; or The Last Will and Testament of Calamity Jane" and Don Russell's "Jesse James -- Postwar Bandit." Tipped to the front flyleaf is a Typed Letter Signed from contributor Don Russell, 2pp, 7¼" X 10½", Elmhurst, IL, 29 March 1956. Addressed to Arnold F. Gates (1914-93, noted Lincoln and Civil War scholar). Near fine. On Chicago letterhead of "The American Peoples Encyclopedia" where Russell served as assistant editor, Russell cordially agrees to review books for the "Lincoln Herald" column that Gates headed for many years -- but declines to increase his reviewing, for "Unhappily I have a somewhat similar job for The Westerners Brand book, which has kept me loaded down too long, and then I was so foolish as to take on the job of being judge for the best non-fiction book of last year for the Western Writers of America. I thought I probably had read all the books that would be on their list, but they have rung in 7 or 8 on me...." Boldly signed in full in black ink at the conclusion. Russell (1899-1989) was a Chicago journalist and newspaper editor and Western historian, author of the 1960 "The Lives and Legends of Buffalo Bill." Appropriate brand-like ownership inkstamp of L.H. Geddes on front pastedown. SIX-GUNS 2346.