LEA, Tom. The King Ranch.

Presented to the British Ambassador to the United States

LEA, Tom. The King Ranch. [El Paso: Carl Herzog for] Kingsville, Texas: The King Ranch. 1957.

Two volumes, 4to. Publisher’s coarse cream and brown linen printed with the running ‘W’ brand (after the the saddle blankets woven and used on the King Ranch), pale yellow endpapers decorated in white to a foliate design, fore-edges uncut, the others sprinkled brown, in the original linen slipcase with gilt lettering-piece to spine; vol. I: pp. [10], 467, [3]; vol. II: [10], [469]–838, numerous plates, vignettes and maps (some in colour, printed with ‘special inks’) after drawings by Tom Lea, plus facsimiles of documents; slipcase a little marked and worn, with a few small abrasions to lettering-piece, vol. I with strengthened inner hinges; a very attractive set of a sumptuously produced book; initial blank of vol. I with gift inscription from Bob and Helen Kleberg to Harold Caccia, dated 11 March 1957’ (see below), loosely inserted postcard to Caccia at the British Embassy, signed ‘C’rissa’ (i.e. Caccia’s daughter Clarissa) dated 19 March 1957.

First edition, first impression, printed for private circulation and limited to 3000 copies, the biggest book on the biggest ranch not only of Texas, but the United States, warmly inscribed by the grandson of the founder and his wife – commissioners of the present work – to Lord Harold Caccia (1905–1990), British Ambassador to the United States from 1956 to 1961.

This is the sought-after Saddle Blanket Edition of Tom Lea’s detailed account of the most famous of Texas ranches, designed, printed and bound in Texas. William Reese called the present work ‘perhaps the most exhaustive ranch history ever written’, Frank Goodwyn adding that ‘in addition to being an encyclopedic compendium of information on the ranch, the book is also a work of art…’. The book was partly researched by Holland McCombs and Frances L. Fugate prepared the sixty-six pages of footnotes (Jenkins 121A).

Carl Hertzog (1902–1984) was one of the leading printers, typographers, and book designers of the United States in the mid-twentieth century. The Texas artist and writer Thomas Calloway Lea III was a friend of the printer. ‘His two-volume history The King Ranch (1957) was considered by some scholars to be the greatest ranching history ever written’ (ibid). This is the first issue with, page 507 in vol. II beginning with the word ‘Alice’. Not a single copy of this edition was for sale; the book was produced to be given to friends, guests and business partners.

Provenance: Presentation inscription from Helen and Robert J. Kleberg, Jr, grandson of the founder of the ranch (who commissioned Tom Lea to write, illustrate, and design the book) to Harold Caccia, inscribed during Caccia’s first year as British Ambassador to the United States; he would later become Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1962–65). This copy has been warmly inscribed ‘with the hope that this book may stimulate your interest permanently, in this part of the world’.

The Eton-educated diplomat was instrumental in remedying damaged Anglo-American relations following the Suez crisis of 1956, and played a key role in nurturing the ‘special relationship’ between London and Washington. The Klebergs were the founders of the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation, which is dedicated to ‘supporting and improving quality of life in South Texas communities, investing in scientific research and innovation, the arts and humanities, and wildlife and habitat stewardship’ (Kleberg Foundation, online).

SKU: 2115520