Horace McCoy

A group of two volumes, comprising:

McCOY, Horace (1897-1955). They Shoot Horses Don’t They?. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1935.
First edition, presentation copy, inscribed by the author. ‘An impressive depiction of the dark underside of Hollywood during the depression, exposing a milieu that undermined human dignity and destroyed dreams of success’ (American National Biography). Octavo. Original grey cloth, decoration and titles to upper board and spine in red and black, top edge stained red (lightly cocked, faintly marked); original dust-jacket (somewhat rubbed and chipped, some repairs to folds). Provenance: authorial presentation inscription to the front free endpaper: ‘To Jimmy Grant — a swell guy and a swell writer — and to his “Green Shadow” as well Horace — Hollywood, August 1935 —’ — Harry J. Salzberg, Bronx (ink stamp to flaps).

— Kiss Tomorrow Good-Bye. New York: Random House, 1948.
First edition, an effusively inscribed presentation copy to the editor of the famed crime fiction magazine Black Mask. Octavo. Original grey cloth, titles to upper board and spine in white and black (spine ends lightly worn); original dust-jacket (spine lightly sunned, somewhat rubbed and chipped with a few short closed tears). Provenance: Joseph Shaw (1874-1952; editor of Black Mask; authorial presentation inscription to front free endpaper: ‘Dear Captain – What can a guy say in a thing like this when it is handed to his first and greatest teacher except to express the affection he has held for more than twenty years? But – I’m still trying to learn, so keep on being patient. Horace May 1948’).