Kendall, Ezra. Spots of Wit and Humor [Original] as Told by Ezra Kendall. Cleveland, O.: The Helman Taylor Co., 1899. [12169]
Illustrated wrappers, 7 1/2 x 5 1/4 inches, 94 clean pages. Good. Paperback.
The layout of the book is one of hand lettering with many illustrations drawn in the text. (see photos).
Ezra Freemont Kendall (1861-1910), b. Centerville, New York; d. Martinsville, Indiana. Kendall was a humorist, an actor, a playwright and author who was known for his comic portrayals of New England Yankees. He was for a time the highest-paid comedian during his vaudeville years.
Kendall became a printer's assistant in New York City at the age of fourteen, and by age seventeen was a reporter for several newspapers and the youngest member of the New York Press Club. Before the age of twenty he was touring with a theatre company and began his stage career. He became very popular and successful, and published three books of humor, all made from reproduced handwriting, and filled with line drawings of the story.
"The stories contain frequent wordplay and clearly portray the rhythm and comic timing of vaudeville players." - wikipedia.
