MASEFIELD, JOHN. Salt-Water Ballads, London: Grant Richards, 1902, royal blue buckram, t.e.g., others uncut, cloth slipcase, FIRST EDITION of the author's first book, one of 500 copies, FIRST ISSUE (a portion of the edition appeared later with a cancelled title-page bearing the Elkin Mathews imprint), a fine copy with spine unfaded. A handful of copies are known in a trial binding of midnight-blue buckram. Laid is is an autograph letter signed from Masefield to Sir Sidney Colvin, London, 30 January 1912, 1 1/2 pages, 8vo: "Thank you very much for telling me of Mr. [Hugh] Walpole's address: I will write to him. It is very good of you to ask me to lunch with you when I am next at the [British] Museum..."; Another edition, New York, 1916, pictorial cloth, some rubbing, First American Editions, SIGNED BY MASEFIELD on inside front cover and also on "Compliments" slip pasted in, with 2 clippings pasted in; together 2 vols., 8vo, original bindings.