Marsden and the Missions 1936 Eric Ramsden SIGNED + correspondence (TLS) ~ Maori History New Zealand

Title: Marsden and the Missions: Prelude to Waitangi

Author: Eric Ramsden. With Introduction by Peter H. Buck (Te Rangi Hiroa)

Description: Inscribed by author. Includes his signed photographic portrait and two typed letters signed (TLS). First edition. Blue cloth with gilt lettering on spine. Fading around head of spine (matching dustwrapper chip); head of spine lightly worn. Bookplate of Florence T. Stickels on front pastedown. Interior clean and unmarked. Dust jacket chipped at spine head and corners and showing some tears and creasing; spine faded; not price clipped; in an archival mylar sleeve. pp. xix, 295.

Inscribed on the half-title page: ''To Florence and Fred / and all the Stickels family / with affectionate remembrances, / from / Eric Ramsden / ''He maimai aroha!''''

The two typed signed letters are addressed to Florence Stickels of Eugene, Oregon. Each letter is double-sided. One is dated September 19, 1940, and includes references to prominent librarians in New Zealand and to his draft of Busby of Waitang (eventually published in1942). The other letter is composed of two separately dated messages, one from December 14, 1949, which discusses his meetings with the new Prime Minister Sidney Holland, his work on his new book Rangiatea (1951), and his separation from his wife; the other is dated January 26, 1950, and discusses his adult son Michael and his new son Peter and his approaching position as Press Liaison Officer for the South Pacific Commission.

The photograph of Ramsden is signed. On the reverse he writes, ''Here you see the author working on Chapter XVI of James Busby's biography...''.

Also laid-in are a few newspaper clippings, articles written by Ramsden; two of them concern the 1951 passing of James Norman Hall, who co-authored The Bounty Trilogy with a close Ramsden associate, Charles Nordhoff.

Eric Ramsden (1898-1962) was a New Zealand journalist, writer, and art critic who was closely connected with the Maori. His collected papers are kept at Archives New Zealand.

Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good
Jacket Condition: Good

Publisher: Angus & Robertson Limited
Place: Australia, Sydney
Year: 1936

Keywords: Maori, Maoris, New Zealand, history, TLS,