BERLIN, IRVING
Songs by Irving Berlin. A specially bound collection of nearly two hundred individual songs by Berlin assembled circa 1969, the front blank inscribed "For Harold/A few of the things I dashed off during the last sixty years/Affectionately/Irving." Original gilt lettered brad-bound blue leather album holding the sheet music of dozens of songs (with the original wrappers), organized alphabetically and with a guide sheet at front resulting in a very thick volume. 12 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (32 x 24 x 9 cm). The cover slightly bowed, some stains to rear boards, short split to hinge, some spots or offsetting to endpapers, very well preserved overall given the heft of the volume.

Provenance: A Portion of the Harold Arlen Archives, Property of Mrs. Rita Arlen

A fine presentation copy from Irving Berlin to his long time friend and contemporary, Harold Arlen. The present volume collects almost 200 of Berlin's songs, many standards of the American songbook, songs which Berlin notes in the inscription he "dashed off over the past sixty years." We trace few copies of this massive tome. Irving Berlin thought quite highly of Harold Arlen and said of him "Harold's best is the best."