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Ripley, Robert L.
Believe It or Not!
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1929.
First Edition, First Printing. Inscribed to Santa Rosa newspaper publisher E. L. Finley — a key early figure in Ripley’s career.
Octavo (23.5 cm); original dark green cloth stamped in vivid red; red topstain; 194 pp. Heavily illustrated throughout with Ripley’s iconic cartoon panels.
The book that launched a cultural phenomenon. Published at the height of his newspaper fame, Robert Ripley’s first compilation of “Believe It or Not!” oddities became a runaway bestseller and cemented his status as America’s collector of the bizarre. A lively blend of curious facts, freak occurrences, and Ripley’s distinctive visual style.
Inscribed:
On the front free endpaper Ripley writes in green ink:
“To E. L. Finley / with the best wishes of a Santa Rosa boy / Ripley / ‘Believe It or Not.’”
An exceptional association copy. Ernest L. Finley was the founder and publisher of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat—Ripley’s hometown newspaper. Finley played a pivotal role in Ripley’s early artistic development, publishing some of his first cartoons when Ripley was still a teenager. This inscription warmly acknowledges that shared Santa Rosa connection, making it a compelling artifact from the beginnings of Ripley’s meteoric career.
Condition:
Cloth shows light wear with scattered marks to rear board, rubbing to extremities, and mild fraying at spine ends. Red lettering remains bright and striking. Top edge retains original red stain. Text block toned with age. Interior clean overall, though with some marginal creasing and a short closed tear to the lower corners of pp. 85-90, 139–148 with the occasional few upper margin closed corner tears (not affecting text or illustrations). Sound binding with only minor gutter cracking near the rear.
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A Very Good– copy, inscribed to a major figure in Ripley’s early life — a superb association copy of the 1929 first edition that started it all.
