The Ways of White Folks – Langston Hughes (Knopf, 1935 Second Printing)

Original Cloth Variant Binding – Green Top Edge – Deckled Pages – Clean Copy

🧾 Description

Offered is an early hardcover printing of Langston Hughes’ The Ways of White Folks, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

This is the second printing (October 1935) of the original 1934 edition.

Bound in the original publisher’s cloth in a green/black variant, with black-stamped spine titling and “Alfred A. Knopf” at the base. The text block features a publisher-applied green top edge.

The pages retain their original deckled (rough-cut) fore-edge, as issued by the publisher.

📌 Edition details

Author: Langston Hughes

Title: The Ways of White Folks

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, New York

Date: October 1935 (second printing stated)

Binding: Original cloth hardcover (green/black variant)

Top edge: Green sprayed (publisher-issued)

Page edges: Deckled fore-edge (as issued)

Dust jacket: Not present

🟢 Condition

A very clean and well-preserved copy overall:

Text block clean with minimal age toning

No writing, underlining, or significant marks

Boards clean and structurally sound

Spine tight with clear black stamping

Green top edge bright and even

Deckled edges intact and original

No dust jacket

📚 Notes on this issue

Most copies encountered are:

1934 first printings in orange cloth (often with jacket if surviving)

Later reprints or institutional copies

This example represents an early Knopf second printing in a less commonly seen cloth variant binding, retaining original production features including top-edge tinting and deckled page edges.

💡 Collectability

A solid example of an early Knopf edition of a major Harlem Renaissance work. While not a first printing, it is desirable for its:

Clean original cloth binding

Variant issue cloth

Intact original page edges

Strong overall presentation