Sierra Nevada Sequence. A Series of Sonnets. Illustrated with Original, Signed Wood Engravings by Kirk Martin.

[Kernville]: Sierra Trails Press, [1968] One of 107 copies, numbered in ink on the colophon. . Housed in a dark green cloth chemise with gilt-lettered spine and front board, handmade by Bela Blau. Folio (13" x 711"). . 35 folded sheets (unbound, as usual). Thirty-two tipped-in wood-engravings by Kirk Martin, a student of Paul Landacre, depicting the beauty and grandeur of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, each signed by the artist. Additionally inscribed by Walker on verso of table of contents, dated January 1968: "For Hugh, Jean Nancy, and Katy. Good friends and gracious forty-niners." Wood engraved ornaments and initials. Engravings printed from the original blocks. Handset in Goudy Light and Hadriano. Printed on Ticonderoga Text. Minor wear to corners minor tonign to a couple leaves. A near-fine copy. With eight pieces of related ephemera, including five Christmas keepsakes, one of which (a printing of Walker's sonnet "High Choice," illustrated with the same headpiece used on the title-page of the present work) is inscribed on the verso in ink by Walker: "For Hugh and my girlfriend because in the past, they found time for my poetry…September 7, 1969." Also, with a prospectus (7 x 10 ") and a publication announcement (5 x 4") for the present work and a card announcing the publication of the Castle Press book Sierra Trails. Ardis Manly Walker (1901 - 1991) was a California-born engineer, civil servant, local historian and poet. He was educated at Fresno State College, UCLA, and USC. After graduating from USC's School of Engineering, he relocated to New York City, where he was employed as an engineer. He eventually returned to Kern County, California, where he became active in civil affairs and served as a justice of the peace. He also became a conservationist and wrote about local history. Walker published many books, works of prose and poetry. His papers are currently housed at Syracuse University. Sierra Nevada Sequence contains thirty-two of Walker's sonnets.