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YOU & I by Leonard Nimoy (RARE, Signed), 1973 📜✍️ 🖖

Name: YOU & I by Leonard Nimoy (RARE, Signed), 1973 📜✍️ 🖖
Brand: Wall Antiques
Price: 1000.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$1,000.00

Sale Sold out

1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This book is a signed second printing of You and I, a collection of poetry and photography by the renowned artist and actor, Leonard Nimoy. It is a tangible artifact of Nimoy's personal and creative life, extending far beyond his iconic on-screen persona. This volume is a premier acquisition for any serious collector interested in the nexus of popular culture, fine arts, and literary history.

The book is a highly desirable collectible that is:

A factual account of Nimoy's work as a multi-talented artist, photographer, and poet.
A non-replicable asset with both intellectual and material value.
An addition for any serious Star Trek library or collection focused on Nimoy.

2. About the Artwork/Book/Object 📖✍️✨

You and I is a captivating collection of Nimoy's lyrical poems and intimate black-and-white photographs. It explores central themes of identity, humanity, and the search for meaning. Nimoy’s words and images create a deeply personal and nuanced look into his creative journey.

The book's content includes:

Lyrical prose and evocative imagery that earned praise from critics and authors alike.
A series of intimate black-and-white photographs by Nimoy himself, providing a visual and emotional counterpart to the poetry.
Images that capture the innocence of childhood, the quiet majesty of nature, and the complexities of human relationships.

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️✨

Leonard Simon Nimoy (1931-2015) was a central figure in American popular culture, with a career that spanned acting, directing, poetry, and photography. While widely known for his portrayal of Spock in the Star Trek franchise, his creative output extended to a variety of artistic endeavors. Nimoy’s work as a writer and director was celebrated for its deep psychological insights and keen observations of human nature.

Key aspects of Nimoy's career include:

A prolific writer and author who penned two autobiographies and several volumes of poetry.
An acclaimed director with credits including the financially successful film Three Men and a Baby.
A lifelong engagement with the arts and humanities, with his work as a photographer and poet providing a direct link to his personal artistic vision.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

Published in 1973, You and I appeared at a time of significant cultural and social change in the United States. This era was marked by the end of the Vietnam War and the continuation of the Civil Rights Movement. American society was grappling with questions of identity and social justice. Nimoy’s poetry and photography offer a deeply personal perspective that reflects the nuanced human experience of this period.

The book serves as a cultural artifact of an era defined by a growing public fascination with celebrity memoirs. It is an authentic document of a time when the United States was grappling with its own cultural history. The book speaks to a time when art was a powerful tool for personal expression and public commentary.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This volume is an ideal acquisition for a curator of modern American poetry, a scholar of popular culture, or a private collector of fine and historically relevant signed books. The book's signature speaks to a collector who seeks to own a definitive document from a specific period in Leonard Nimoy’s career.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This 1973 second printing is a rare find, and its value is significantly driven by the author's signature and the book's specific historical context. The scarcity of a signed copy is a key factor in its value, as these were not widely distributed.

This book is a compelling investment piece due to its:

Scarcity: Finding a signed copy in good condition is a significant challenge.
Historical Context: Its place in the history of popular culture and as a record of Nimoy’s artistic life adds to its rarity.
Authenticity: It is a genuine artifact that connects the reader directly to the intellectual world of the author.

This book, having survived over 50 years, marks an exciting journey to its current location in California or the United States.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

The book is a well-preserved piece showing authentic wear consistent with a book from the early 1970s. The hardcover binding is in good condition, as is the original dust jacket. The dust jacket shows some rubbing and minor tears, particularly along the edges and spine. The top of the spine is slightly discolored. The interior is in good condition, with a firm and sound text block. The pages are free of major tears or markings. There is some minor toning to the pages, which is a natural process for paper from this period.

Dust Jacket: Factual wear with rubbing and scuffing, some minor tears.
Binding: The hardcover, cloth binding is clean and intact.
Interior: The pages are tight with some minor toning consistent with age.
Signature: The signature on the front endpaper is clear and well-preserved.

The volume also includes a small ephemera card with a poem printed in gold ink. This piece is in excellent condition with no visible wear.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

Nimoy's portrayal of Spock had such a cultural impact that both of his autobiographies, I Am Not Spock (1975) and I Am Spock (1995), were written to explore his complex relationship with the character.
The famous Vulcan salute and the phrase "Live long and prosper" were created by Nimoy, based on a hand gesture used by Jewish priests.
Nimoy co-produced and co-starred in a 1965 film called Deathwatch, a theatrical adaptation of a Jean Genet play about three prison inmates. Following his role, he taught drama to members of a drug rehab center.
In addition to acting, Nimoy was an accomplished director, with directing credits including the financially successful film Three Men and a Baby (1987).