In good condition with some shelf-wear and age-related wear. The spine has a good deal of creasing, bumping and slight chipping to the tail. The boards have some toning and rubbing to the edges. The gilt lettering on the front cover is nicely preserved. There is slight hinge-wear inside the front cover. The pastedowns and pages have some age-related toning and foxing. On the front flyleaf there is a penned inscription to "Catherine Gray Bennett" from a possible "Ginnie" dated December 25, 1922. Below this inscription is a pasted-in facsimile letter dated December 15th, 1916, from Theodore Roosevelt to E.A. VanValkenburg. This book is noted as number 127 out of 300 copies. Included are black and white photographic plates throughout the pages, with President Roosevelt's portrait as the frontispiece. Please see our photographs and ask any questions prior to purchasing.

This is a quite scarce and historic American text detailing the annual ceremony of visiting friends of Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), as they made a pilgrimage to his gravesite on the third anniversary of his death. This Numbered, Limited edition uniquely features a facsimile of a famous letter from Roosevelt to VanValkenburg in 1916. Edwin A. VanValkenburg: (1869-1932) was an American humanitarian, editor and publisher. He directed the publication of the Philadelphia North American, and as editor he inspired and directed public opinion for the advancement of the civic, economic and legislative interests of the people of Pennsylvania and of the United States. President Roosevlet characterized him in his letter as “The Most Useful American Citizen: a great editor, and a great patriot”. The idea for this pilgrimage emerged from E.A. VanValkenburg, of the Philadelphia North American, to send out invitations to old friends and supporters of the 26th president of the United States. Some such friends were James R. Garfield, Gifford Pinchot, Herbert Knox Smith, Lawrence F. Abbott, and more. 

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