Main Street

I finally picked up a nice copy of Main Street to replace my EP copy. The difference in the quality of the illustrations is most noticeable in the picture of "The Radical" where the tools in the background are almost invisible in the EP edition. The book is in fine condition but the slipcase is very worn and its label is so faded that it is almost unreadable. Does anyone out there have a fine quality slipcase label that they could scan and post for me? Thanks in advance.

Did you acquire an LEC or a Heritage version? Or is this one of those that is only available as a Heritage Press publication (in terms of EP alternative)?

>2 UK_History_Fan: LEC - HP's don't have a label on their slipcases

2) There is a Heritage of this book, but it was done in the Connecticut era. The only Heritage books that have a label on the slipcase are the Illustrated Bookshelf editions.

I find that there are several of this book which are rated less than good,but which are indeed Fine or better on the inside. I picked up one of these with a deteriorated binding and a very faded and split slipcase. The price was $170, which I thought was fair judging from the marvelous Grant Wood illustrations. I will rebind the book this spring, saving another remarkable LEC from the trash pile. The slipcase will be remade also. I remake slipcase labels on a computer and print them out in color.

I reiterate, I don't rebind any LECs except those from the 30s and 40s which are externally ruined, but have text and illustrations which can be saved. Sometimes it is less expensive to rebind rather than search for a Fine copy, but I never think about comparing the cost. I do it for my own pleasure and to save the LEC for future book lovers.

Ken, my copy didn't have a slipcase. There was a seller on eBay who had a slipcase only, but she wanted $35 for it!!

There was a Heritage reprint in the 1960s when the company was in Norwalk, CT, and this version is preferable to the later one from the Avon, CT incarnation of the HP. While the reproduction in the Norwalk version isn't, of course, the quality of the LEC originals, at least they are in color whereas the the later Avon version reproduced them in B&W--a practice Eaton Press also followed, though I'm not sure they did in the case of Main Street.

The EP illustrations are in color, just murkier.

Just recovered the slipcase in bookcloth, still need to make a label. The recovering went pretty well so I'm about to attempt making my first slipcase from scratch. Does anyone have a scan of the slipcase label for the LEC edition of Tales of the Gold Rush?

I'm bringing this thread back from the dead because of an interesting eBay find - https://www.ebay.com/itm/GRANT-WOOD-Main-Street-SIGNED-Association-Copy-Limited-.... It's the copy of Main Street once owned by the man who inspired the LEC version. Included is an interesting personal note from George Macy himself. The asking price is way beyond the means of most; nevertheless, I thought I'd share.

>9 johnbean9: Just for the record, all LEC copies of Main Street were signed by the artist - Grant Wood. There are currently 15 copies available on Abe ranging from $150 to $750, so quite a premium for the GM note and provenance.

Totally agree. I simply felt the provenance is an interesting bit of LEC history. My desire to purchase this offering at this price is zilch.

>11 johnbean9:

Very interesting that this person, who may not have been a Club member, suggested this title. I did a quick internet search and didn't find anything.

Ordinarily I would check to see if our resident Sherlock Holmes could track down the mysterious Mr Vance, but, alas, Jack (featherwate) has been absent of late and has had health issues. I sincerely hope he is alright.

I've done some snooping and my leading guess is that Mr. Vance was Lawrence Lee Vance - http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb4q2nb2px;NAAN=13030&doc.view=frames&am.... He lived in Minneapolis in 1937 and he strikes me as someone who could have been an LEC subscriber, and the initials match :) It's flimsy evidence, and yet it feels right.