Books

New York, Privately printed for the author, 1943. . First edition, sole printing; one of 200 signed copies privately printed for the author and distributed by him as a Christmas card; presentation copy inscribed by the author; 8vo; single gathering, wire stitched into the original tan wrappers, cream paper title label to front wrapper printed in black. Tiny loss at one corner, light crease to another, professionally repaired at fold. A very decent copy of a rare and vulnerable book. The story goes, Stern was in a New York department store, waiting in line to pay for some Christmas presents, when the story of The Greatest Gift came to him complete and all at once. He went home, wrote it up and had 200 copies printed for use as his Christmas card for 1943. It was noticed and subsequently issued commercially the year after. Its fame, however is due to the film that was made, based upon this story. The film was, of course, It's A Wonderful Life. Truly one of the scarcest filmed books…