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"The world had changed to silver, and life ceased to be a struggle and became a gay adventure": First edition of Nella Larsen's Quicksand; inscribed by her

LARSEN, NELLA.

Quicksand.

New York & London: Alfred A. Knopf 1928.

First edition of Nella Larsen’s first book. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To my friend Harriet S. Wright, this tale of pride, prejudice and passion Nella Larsen.” First editions of any of Larsen’s works are rare, as she disappeared from Harlem’s interracial literary and arts community after her ex-husband’s death in 1942. Struggling with depression, Larsen stopped writing, returned to her previous career in nursing, moved to the Lower East Side and did not return to Harlem. Many of Larsen’s old acquaintances speculated that she, like some of the characters in her fiction, had crossed the color line to “pass” into the white community. In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. Rare and desirable.

Price: $20,000.00     Item Number: 95263