131 pp. + 7 blank leaves in rear. 6¾x4½, specially bound “for the author” in half black-blue morocco & blue-gray cloth, ruled in gilt, spine tooled & lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, original red stained page edges, housed in custom maroon cloth chemise & slipcase with gilt-lettered spine. First Edition, First Printing, “Advance Copy,” rare variant issue [perhaps unique] with “ing” after “burn” on line 10, page 24.
Bishop Kip’s copy, inscribed presentation, signed in the year of publication to "Rt. Rev. Wm. Ingraham Kip with the compliments of the Author, S.F. March 1877" in purple ink on the title page. Also, with a 1-page autograph letter signed to Bishop Kip by Wm. H. Rulofson dated March 31, 1877 (with embossed logo – perhaps a hotel), folded and tipped-in on the front free endpaper and writes: “Through long diligence, I at last send you an advance copy of my little book…[and] that you consider the motives of the writer, and in them may I hope you will find an apology for the very many defects of both matter an manner which man(?) it….” Signed Wm. H. Rulofson. According to BAL, in a letter by Bierce to Charles Dexter Allen dated Sept. 27, 1911: “I am not the author of the book – I’m only one of the authors. The William Herman of the title page was William Herman Rulofson, who wrote none of it – really financed it. My collaborator was Thomas A. Harcourt…”. William Herman Rulofson (1826-1878) was an early member and the first official photographer of the Bohemian Club (San Francisco). He along with Henry W. Bradley ran and operated two photo galleries: Bradley at Clay St. location dealing in photographic materials; Rulofson at the main gallery on Montgomery St., which was known for high quality work and high prices. Rulofson’s association with Eadweard Muybridge in the early 1870’s led to many awards for excellence in view photography. He died a year after this books’ publication by falling from the roof of his gallery, perhaps intentionally. William Ingraham Kip (1811-1893) who was chosen as Bishop of California in 1857 author of The Early Jesuit Missions in North America (1846) among other important works. The true first edition without the author's added chapter at rear; contains "Author's Copy" printed at bottom of title page; plus, this copy, with the letters “ing” after word “burn” on page 24, line 10. “This is the only known copy in which the letters ‘ing’ appear…” – according to Al Covici (Invisible Bookman). Includes: Autograph letter signed by F.M. DeWitt to noted Americana book collector W[illiam] A[gustus] Brewer (Burlingame, CA) on a printed receipt from DeWitt & Snelling Books (dealers), 9 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, Cal., dated Oct. 14, 1910, regarding authorship: “All I know as to Bierce’s connection with this book is what has been told me by Mr. Geo. Sterling of Carmell, Cal. who is personally acquainted with Mr. Bierce…As to Mr. Harcourt’s connection…it was common talk and generally known that he wrote the book for Mr. Rulofson – Mr. H[arcourt] was then a journalist in San Francisco. He married Mr. R[ulofson]’s daughter,” this autographed note from DeWitt precedes Bierce’s famous letter to Allen dated one year later in 1911; also with a well-researched and detailed typed catalogue description for this copy from The Invisible Bookman of Berkeley, California [Allan Covici], a reference librarian and relative of noted publisher Pascal Covici; both laid in. BAL 1104; also (for Rulofson biography), see Mautz, Biographies of Western Photographers, p. 137.
Condition:
Mild rubs to joints and edges of leather, slight fading to cloth, corners slightly showing, otherwise a well-preserved copy; else near fine.