1916 - HAWAII PAST & PRESENT *RARE SIGNED* by William R. Castle Jr. Illustrated!

Description: ***An exceptionally RARE SIGNED FIRST EDITION, 3rd or 4th printing. Later signed editions in similar condition from the 1917 second edition to the 1930s have sold for up to $1,000 at rare book auctions. This is the earliest signed printing I’ve come across and the only signed copy currently available for sale that I can find*** Hawaii Past & Present by William R. Castle, Jr. Condition: VERY GOOD antiquarian collectible condition. Lengthily and warmly inscribed on front flyleaf by author and his wife to a couple they travelled across Hawaii with, Mr. And Mrs. Silman, highlighting the many places they visited. Dated November 15, 1916, Honolulu. Signed by author “Mr. + Mrs. W. R. Castle” Published in 1916 by Dodd, Mead and Company. In original dark blue cloth boards with yellow lettering and scenic pictorial cover art. About two dozen full-page black and white photo illustrations and a two-page color map of Hawaii. Octavo. 230 pages; appendix [7 pp]; index [4 pp]. ABOUT THE AUTHOR William Richards Castle Jr. (June 19, 1878 – October 13, 1963) was an American educator and diplomat. He rose rapidly to the highest levels of the United States Department of State and took a strong interest in Pacific issues, in part because of his family's background in Hawaii. William Richards Castle Jr. was born in Honolulu on June 19, 1878, when it was the Kingdom of Hawaii. His father, William Richards Castle, served King David Kalākaua as attorney general and later as Hawaiian Minister to the United States, where he was an active proponent of annexation. His grandfather, Samuel Northrup Castle, founded the giant agricultural corporation Castle & Cooke. William Richards Castle Jr. graduated from Punahou School and then Harvard College in 1900. He was appointed Assistant Secretary of State on February 26, 1927, during the administration of Calvin Coolidge. On April 1, 1931, Castle was appointed Under Secretary of State. It was the second-ranking post in the department to Henry L. Stimson in the Herbert Hoover administration. Castle was acting Secretary of State during negotiation of the Hoover Moratorium on World War I reparations in 1931. From 1933, Castle wrote numerous articles and speeches especially as an outspoken critic of the New Deal. He opposed conflict with Japan, in part because he feared its impact on Hawaii, fears borne out by the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. During World War II he continued to oppose Roosevelt's policies. However, Secretary of State Cordell Hull often consulted Castle behind-the-scenes as one of the few experts on Japanese affairs. Castle spoke out against misleading propaganda. He advocated realistic dialog with compromises from negotiation and mutual trade. He also influenced the Treaty of San Francisco and occupation of Japan after the war. Castle was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1932. He received honorary degrees from the University of Rochester in 1932, Doctor of Civil Law from the University of the South in 1935, and Bryant College in 1936. He was elected to the Harvard Board of Overseers from 1935 to 1941. In 1937 he worked for John Hamilton on the Republican National Committee to rebuild the party after the defeats of the 1936 elections. He served as president of Garfield Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC, from 1945 to 1952. He died on October 13, 1963, in Washington, DC. His diaries were donated to Harvard[ and other papers were donated to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library by his grandsons in April 1970. The book is in VERY Good condition - spine lean, firm hinges and joints. Rubbed spine, board edges and corners. Some bumping to crown and heel of spine. Boards are colorful and unfaded and cover art is strikingly beautiful. A few spots of dust soiling. Internally it is mostly clean with only a few spots of soiling and a few pages show some wear and tear (see picture 7). No writing, stickers, stamps or ex libris marks. The usual Age-toned page edges expected of a 108-year-old book. Overall, a rare signed copy of a scarce US 1st edition in VERY GOOD collectible condition! Please see pictures as they are an important part of the condition description. As a fellow book collector, I know how frustrating it can be when items aren’t accurately described or poorly packaged for shipping. That is why I (1) take a lot of pictures and try to describe condition issues as accurately as possible and (2) pack your book purchases with the utmost care before shipping. I have been selling and buying on eBay for over 10 years and have a 100% satisfaction rating, and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee 30-day return policy. Please follow me as I have thousands of highly collectible books to list in the coming weeks and months!

Price: 750 USD

Location: Litchfield Park, Arizona

End Time: 2024-12-19T01:09:55.000Z

Shipping Cost: 6.88 USD