Bidspirit auction | Nusbaum, Aileen. The Seven Cities

Nusbaum, Aileen. The Seven Cities of Cibola. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926. First Edition. - A first edition copy of The Seven Cities of Cibola by Aileen Nusbaum, published in 1926 by G.P. Putnam's Sons at The Knickerbocker Press, New York and London. This hardcover volume is bound in the publisher's red cloth with gilt-stamped lettering to the front board and spine, featuring a circular floral or solar motif in gilt on the upper cover. The work is a collection of Zuni folklore, notably featuring color and black-and-white illustrations by Margaret Finnan that depict Zuni ceremonial figures, deities, and traditional narratives. The title page bears the full title, author, and illustrator credits above the G.P. Putnam's Sons imprint and the date 1926. The copyright page confirms the 1926 date and includes a printer's device for The Knickerbocker Press, consisting of a sailing ship above a banner reading The Knickerbocker Press New York. The interior includes illustrated endpapers in a Native American motif and decorative borders on the title page. Notable chapters include The Serpent of the Sea and The Dragon Fly, the latter featuring a black-and-white header illustration of a stylized dragonfly and tadpole-like figures. The binding shows significant wear and age-related degradation. The spine is heavily sun-bleached and faded to a tan color, with some fraying and softening at the head and tail (photo 3). The red cloth boards exhibit moderate shelf wear, rubbing at the corners, and several dark stains and areas of discoloration, particularly to the front cover and edges (photo 1, 2). The gilt lettering on the front board remains mostly bright, though there is some dulling to the central motif. Internally, the pages show light age-toning but appear generally clean. The illustrated plates and line drawings remain vibrant. A small vertical scratch or mark is visible on the lower front board (photo 1). No dust jacket is present.