Signed. First Edition. First Printing is Stated. Signed, inscribed and dated by Groucho and Arthur Marx. "Nov-23-54-/ Best Wishes / To Barrett Kiesling / From / Groucho Marx" Then just below his inscription is the Author's, " And / Arthur Marx"
- From the Library of Barret C Kiesling. [ Barrett C. Kiesling was Publicity Director for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1928 ~ 1955) and worked with Groucho and his brothers as they starred in some of their classic films for MGM (A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, A DAY AT THE RACES, etc)].
- Bound in original 1/4 yellow cloth with greyish blue boards; Includes non-price clipped dust jacket with publisher's price ($3.50) on lower inside flap. - Jacket has mild wear, few chips to edges - Otherwise surprisingly well-preserved, very clean, tight, square, and unmarked. A fine copy in a very good jacket.. now encased in mylar covering for protection.
This is a somewhat scarce book to acquire as a jacketed first edition. To find a copy inscribed by both Groucho (with surname) and son Arthur, along with a nice association, is a treasure indeed!
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Arthur Marx wrote several works about Groucho, of which LIFE WITH GROUCHO is the first. It was published at the height of his father's television popularity, and was a warts-and-all portrait punctuated by by what are attributed as Groucho's own annotations. (Arthur wrote that he would like to correct the impression that his father was a miser; Groucho's footnote read: "You'd better or I'll cut you off without a nickel.") When excerpts of the book that Groucho had not approved were published in the Saturday Evening Post, he threatened to sue his son. Arthur sent his father a dummy set of altered proofs and published the book as it was originally written. Due to all of the father/son legal threats and acrimony over this book, the combination of their signatures here is very unexpected and possibly unique.