Prostitution & New Orleans Jazz by Stephen Longstreet Extra-Illustrated with Original Watercolors Painted into The Book SPORTIN’ HOUSE

$2,200.00

Longstreet, Stephen (pseudonym of Chauncey Weiner). Sportin’ House: a History of the New Orleans Sinners and the Birth of Jazz. Los Angeles: Sherbourne Press, Inc., [1965] 26 cm, brick-red paper boards with black lettering and publisher’s colophon on the front cover, endpapers are reproduced sketches of the author-artist. First edition. Extra-illustrated copy, with 20 original watercolor illustrations, 4 added on extra leaves pasted in, and the other extra-illustrations painted directly onto the book’s pages, in addition to the black-and-white and color illustrations of the publisher as issued. This book is a virtuoso performance, recounting the birth and growth of jazz in the sporting houses of New Orleans, as well as a detailed history of prostitution in New Orleans, brought to vivid life in these extraordinary watercolor extra-illustrations.

Description

Longstreet, Stephen (pseudonym of Chauncey Weiner). Sportin’ House: a History of the New Orleans Sinners and the Birth of Jazz. Los Angeles: Sherbourne Press, Inc., [1965] 26 cm, brick-red paper boards with black lettering and publisher’s colophon on the front cover, end papers are reproduced sketches of the author-artist. First edition, signed. Extra-illustrated copy, with 20 original watercolor illustrations, 4 added on extra leaves pasted in, and the other extra-illustrations painted directly onto the book’s pages, in addition to the black-and-white and color illustrations of the publisher as issued. Both book and dust jacket are in fine condition.

Sportin’ House: a History of the New Orleans Sinners and the Birth of Jazz. Los Angeles: Sherbourne Press, Inc., [1965] 26 cm, brick-red paper boards with black lettering and publisher’s colophon on the front cover, endpapers are reproduced sketches of the author-artist. First edition. Extra-illustrated copy, with 20 original watercolor illustrations
A list of the illustrations is as follows:
1. Inside the front fly leaf, a full-page watercolor of a nude woman, untitled and unsigned, extra-illustration 1;
2. On the half-title (i), a full-page watercolor of a man in a top hat, smoking a cigar, holding a cocktail glass, titled in pencil “Liberty Hall” and signed “SL”, extra-illustration 2;

3. On the verso of the half-title (ii), a half-page watercolor of two liquor bottles and two glasses, untitled and unsigned, extra-illustration 3;
4. An added leaf, between ii and iii, a piece of Royal Viking Line stationery, “Aboard the M/S Royal Viking Sky” with a pencil annotation “extra illustration SL” on the recto, with a full-page illustration titled “The Professor” of an African-American pianist playing an upright piano with a woman listening, seated to his left, signed “SL” thus giving this copy an original, signed watercolor frontispiece, extra-illustration 4;
5. The title-page (iii) is decorated with a full-page watercolor illustration painted over the publisher’s page of a table holding pieces of fruit and a cocktail glass, with the author-artist’s painted signature in full “Stephen Longstreet vi 78”, extra-illustration 5;

a full-page illustration titled “The Professor” of an African-American pianist playing an upright piano with a woman listening, seated to his left

 

6. The verso of the title-page (iv) is decorated a three-quarters page original watercolor of a fruit bowl and a knife, painted above the stated publisher’s information, First Edition, etc., extra-illustration 6;
7. At the top of the table of contents (v) is an original watercolor of a trumpet, extra-illustration 7;
8. On p. vii an original one-third page watercolor of a woman half-concealed behind a curtain, extra-illustration 8;
9. On p. xi (mis-numbered as xi, instead of p. 1) a half-page original watercolor was added of a large slice of watermelon, a knife, a glass and a cut pear, extra-illustration 9;
10. Between pages 2 and 3 is a second added leaf on which a full-page watercolor titled in pencil “Old Trade” of an older man and younger naked woman, signed “SL”, extra-illustration 10;

11. On page 3, at the top of the page is added a watercolor of a large smoking cigar in an ashtray and a glass of liquor, extra-illustration 11;
12. Between pages 20 and 21, a third leaf was added with a full-page watercolor titled by the artist in pencil “Private Party” of a naked woman wearing a prosthetic device, initialed by the artist “SL”, extra-illustration 12;
13. Page 25, a one-quarter page illustration of the top of a wash basin holding a soap dish, with a towel hanging to the left, extra-illustration 13;
14. Between pages 36 and 37, a fourth leaf was added, another piece of Royal Viking Line stationery, “Aboard the M/S Royal Viking Sky” on which was painted an original watercolor illustration of an African-American man, dressed as a cowboy playing the guitar, with a earthenware jug of liquor labeled “XXX” titled by the artist “Yellow Gal Blues” and initialed “SL”, extra-illustration 14;

an original watercolor illustration of an African-American man, dressed as a cowboy playing the guitar, with a earthenware jug of liquor labeled “XXX” titled by the artist “Yellow Gal Blues.”

 

15. On page 45, a half-page watercolor of a lady’s high-button shoe, her garter, a tube of lipstick, a bottle of perfume and an ashtray with a cigar in it, extra-illustration 15;
16. On page 66, a three-quarter page original watercolor of a bust portrait of a man smoking a cigar looking at a woman (extra-illustration 16) wearing only a camisole, a full-page watercolor (extra-illustration 17) painted on the original publisher’s blank page 67;

a three-quarter page original watercolor of a bust portrait of a man smoking a cigar looking at a woman (extra-illustration 16) wearing only a camisole, a full-page watercolor (extra-illustration 17) painted on the original publisher’s blank

17. See description 16 above for extra-illustration 17;
18. Page 69, extra-illustration 18, a one-third page original watercolor of a gentleman’s bowler hat, gloves and cane;
19. Page 90, extra-illustration 19, an original watercolor of four pieces of fruit;
20. Page 93, a full-page original watercolor of a man and woman making love superimposed on the first page of Chapter 5, illustration 20.

The book and dust jacket are both in fine condition. Stephen Longstreet (1907 – 2002) published more than 100 books during his long life. He wrote under various pseudonyms, and was born Chauncey Weiner or Wiener. A self-described surrealist, Longstreet started his career as an artist, contributing art work to The New Yorker, Colliers and The Saturday Evening Post. There is a presentation inscription in red ink on the front fly-leaf, possibly made aboard ship, which reads “To our friend / Harry Godwin / Stephen Longstreet / Joe Erdelac / 1/20/1972”. Not in Longstreet’s hand, Harry Godwin may be Harry Easton Godwin, and Joe Erdelac, Joseph M. Erdelac.

This book is a virtuoso performance, recounting the birth and growth of jazz in the sporting houses of New Orleans, as well as a detailed history of prostitution in New Orleans, brought to vivid life in these extraordinary watercolor extra-illustrations.

brick-red paper boards with black lettering and publisher’s colophon on the front cover

The depictions of women and African-Americans  in this extra-illustrated publication do not reflect the view, opinions or belief of the bookseller.

Felicien Rops Original Drawing DETRITUS HUMAIN OU LA FILLE DU REGIMENT

William Makepiece Thackeray Essay on the Genius of George Cruikshank Profusely Extra Illustrated with Ephemera and Theatrical Manuscripts

Welwood Memoirs of the Most Material Transactions for the Last Hundred Years Preceding the Revolution in 1688 Extra Illustrated with 55 Portraits 6 by Hollar

Nos femmes / Étoiles de Mer / Entre Femmes: Ferdinand Bac, Albert Guillaume, G.M. Lami 1895

Erotica Claude-Henri de Fusée de Voisenon Exercises de Dévotion

Edward Lamson Henry Signed Extra-Illustrated Presentation Copy of Alice Morse Earle STAGE-COACH AND TAVERN-DAYS

Additional information

Author

Longstreet, Stephen Longstreet pseudonym of Chauncey Weiner

Title

Sportin’ House: a History of the New Orleans Sinners and the Birth of Jazz, Extra Illustrated with Original Watercolors