Jonathan Livingston Seagull [ Includes hand written, signed personal photo-note from Richard Bach ]

Richard Bach

New York: The Macmillan Company, 1970. 1970s edition, later printing. Hardcover leatherette. / No dust jacket as issued; includes matching slip-case. Item #5346

A signed, slip-cased 1970s edition, later printing, with a hand written postcard from Richard Bach to recipient.

A handsome slip-cased edition bound in blue leatherette with gilt embossing to the spine and gilt seagull to the front panel, housed in the original silver slipcase. The book is Near Fine overall, save for the spine which has split along the full length of front gutter, with an additional split of approximately two inches at the back gutter near the foot; an extremely common flaw for this edition that does not affect the turning of pages or the structural integrity of the text block. Corners remain sharp, the interior is exceptionally clean, and there is no loss to the gilt embossing on the spine or front panel, unusual for this edition to have next to no wear to the gilt embossing or interior wear. Very faint toning to pages, also extremely common to these editions.

The fragile silver slipcase shows light scuffing and minor discoloration typical of this edition. It remains solid, sturdy, and bright for its age and has clearly protected the book very well over time.

Both the book and slipcase bear the matching number “50453” on the lower right corner of the back panels.

Richard Bach’s signature spans two pages, the front free endpaper and the half-title page, and includes his familiar drawing, decorative inscription filigrees, and a bold, unmistakable signature.

Also included is the original postcard, a photo of Richard Bach and his BD-5J with his box number at the time, post stamped August 1977, addressed and written to the recipient of this signed edition, bearing the same name as the book’s inscription and with a handwritten personal paragraph from Bach. This postcard will accompany the book. The postcard is also signed by Richard Bach.

These slip-cased editions of Jonathan Livingston Seagull frequently bear Bach’s personal inscriptions, which often serve as unique identifying markers that help distinguish one signed copy from another. 1970 edition, later printing, with “16” on the copyright page.

These slip-cased signed editions have grown noticeably scarcer.

Both “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” and “Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah” ranked among the best-selling books of the 1970s. Richard Bach’s lifelong passion for aviation permeates much of his writing, informed by his experience in the U.S. Navy Reserve, the New Jersey Air National Guard, as a fighter pilot, and later as a stunt pilot and barnstormer.

“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” is an allegorical fable in the spirit of Aesop, charting a seagull’s journey from ordinary existence toward spiritual enlightenment. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs by Russell Munson, the book achieved remarkable success, selling nearly one million copies largely through word-of-mouth recommendation.

Price: $1,675.00  other currencies