First Poems

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. American poet James Ingram Merrill's poetry falls into two distinct bodies of work: the polished and formalist lyric poetry of his early career, and the epic narrative of occult communication with spirits and angels, titled The Changing Light at Sandover (published in three volumes from 1976 to 1980), which dominated his later career.… Read more about this item

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. First Edition. Hardcover. First edition. Signed by James Merrill on the title page, copy 82 of 990 thus. 72 pp. Crimson cloth with gilt lettering on spine. Very Good+ in Very Good dust jacket. Gilt on spine rubbed, wear spot on bottom edge of back board. Jacket has a stain strateching from front… Read more about this item

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good+/very good. Stated first edition, 1951, hardcover with brown cloth boards in dust jacket, octavo, 72pp., not illustrated. Book VG+ with mild rubbing to boards and spine, binding tight, previous owner Suzy Mosher signature and date (March 1951) to front flyleaf, endpapers gently toned and foxed, otherwise text… Read more about this item

New York: Alfred Knopf, 1951. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. First edition, #671 of 990 copies. Very good or better, clothbound with typical wear to spine lettering in very good price clipped dustwrapper, minor edgewear. A nice clean copy of his first regularly published book of poems.

New York: Knopf, 1951. First Edition. Very Good in a Very Good jacket.. First edition of Merrill's first regularly published book, after a very rare collection self-published by his father. One of the most auspicious debuts of the second half of the century, one that lived up to its promise. Cloth. 8vo. Red cloth, gilt-stamped spine. Very good… Read more about this item

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. First edition. Hardcover. First printing. 72 pages. Number 885 from an edition of 990 copies. Merrill's first regularly published book after a book published by his father when he was only 16 years old. A near fine copy in a very good dust jacket that has some edge tears a few small gouges… Read more about this item

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. Cloth. Near Fine/Near Fine. A crisp, very pleasing copy of the 1951 stated 1st edition of the poet's first commercially published book. #145 of 990 copies issued. Clean and Near Fine to Fine in a bright, price-intact, Near Fine dustjacket. Truly a collector's copy.

NY: Knopf, 1951. First Edition, the author's first commercially published book, one of 999 copies, this is # 564. 8vo, pp. 72. A near fine copy in dj. This has been inscribed by the author to poet and editor of Voyages, literary magazine, William Claire: "James Merrill | with greetings to | Bill Claire

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First edition. Fine in very slightly spine-sunned else fine dustwrapper. Copy number 32 of 990 numbered copies.

New York: Knopf, 1951. First edition. Maroon cloth, fine, slightly tanned dust jacket. One of 990 numbered copies.

N. Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. First edition of Merrill's first regularly published book. One of 990 numbered copies. Although not called for, signed by Merrill on the title-page. Hagstrom & Bixby A4; Hagstrom & Morgan A4. A very fine copy in price-clipped dust jacket. 8vo, original cloth, dust jacket. A very fine copy in price-clipped dust… Read more about this item

New York: Knopf, 1951. First Edition . Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. Number 80 of 990 numbered copies. Near fine in cloth-covered boards and dust jacket. The book has a discoloration in the cloth at one corner and the dust jacket has wear on the rear panel. Bookplate of a notable Princeton literary scholar.