Estate / Collection: The Jean Vounder-Davis Collection of Raymond Chandler

[CHANDLER, RAYMOND]

Seven volumes with gift inscriptions from Raymond Chandler to his wife, Cissy. Seven volumes in cloth, a few retaining dust jackets, all with some measure of wear and stray stains to the volume or jackets which are worn with losses, the books listed later in the entry similarly worn. Comprising following inscribed by Raymond Chandler to Cissy, many signed using the pet name "Raymio":

1) Herbert P. Whitlock. The Story of the Gems. New York: Leo Furman, 1936. First edition with a long, unpublished poem on the front blank from Ray to Cissy dated Christmas 1936. Publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.

2) A Treasury of the World’s Great Letters. Inscribed from “Raymio” to Cissy in 1940, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.

3) The Drawings of Leonardo Da Vinci. Inscribed from “Raymio” to Cissy ("who makes the Mona Lisa look as enigmatic as a singing commercial") in 1946, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket.

4) Arthur Rackham. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Inscribed from “Raymio” to Cissy in 1919, publisher’s cloth, the trade edition (this a very early inscription in their relationship)

5) Fit for a King. The Merle Armitage Book of Food. Inscribed to Cissy in 1946, Publisher’s cloth.

6) Lord Dunsany. The Sword of Welleran. Inscribed to Cissy in 1921. Publisher’s cloth (see also the inscribed Dunsany title with a poem by Chandler in this collection)

7) Anatole France Himself. With a full-page inscription in Chandler’s hand to Cissy “To my darling and most Angelic Bride…” and signed using the name "Gallibeoth." Publisher’s cloth.

Together with two volumes inscribed by Cissy to Ray:

8) Great Love Stories by Famous Authors. Inscribed from Cissy to “Raymio” at Christmas 1944, publisher’s cloth in dust jacket

9) Joseph Wechsberg. Blue Trout and Black Truffles. Inscribed from Cissy to Ray in 1953. Publisher’s cloth, in dust jacket.

And three others. Being:

10) Mrs. Beeton’s Cookery Book. Publisher’s cloth, in dust jacket. With an inscription to Cissy from her sister Vinnie dated 1950.

11) The American Woman’s Cook Book. Inscribed by Cissy using her full name Pearl Cecily Chandler in 1939. Publisher’s cloth. Soiling over inscription.

12) Cissy's annotated copy of The Good Housekeeping Cook Book, not inscribed or signed but heavily notated. Publisher’s cloth.

A fine group of inscribed volumes between Raymond Chandler and his beloved wife, Cissy, whom he married in 1924 and died in 1955. Many of the books are inscribed before fame came to Chandler with the publication of The Big Sleep in 1939 when we was 44 years old. Chandler first met Cissy though as a young man, fresh back from serving alongside the Canadians in World War I, when he first settled in Los Angeles. The earliest inscribed book here is dated 1919, around the time he first met Cissy. The couple frequently gifted each other books for birthdays and Christmas. Of note is The Book of Gems with it's long poem by Chandler. The Chandler's lived humbly even after Ray starting publishing and these gifts, many practical and relating to housekeeping and home cooking, speak to the quiet years spent together.