Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman Publishing: 1882 Rees Welsh & Co; Philadelphia  Here is an early edition of Walt Whitman's monumental work, widely regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of American literature. This reprint utilizes slightly modified plates from the 1881-82 "Suppressed Edition," which was printed in Boston just months earlier. Notably, the provenance of this copy is of great significance, the book is signed by  Justus Schwab and presented to Dyer D. Lum. Both were significant figures in the American socialist and anarchist movements of the late 19th century.  Schwab immigrated to the United States in 1868, where he operated a radical saloon on New York City's Lower East Side (50 East 1st Street). The saloon was advertised as "the gathering place for all bold, joyful, and freedom-loving spirits." It became an epicenter for social radicalism and was frequented by Schwab's close friends, including anarchist Emma Goldman, and writer Ambrose Bierce. Dyer Lum, to wh