Capote, Truman. (1924-1984) [Halston, Roy. (1932-1990)]: "Music for Chameleons" – Signed and Inscribed to Halston

Name: Capote, Truman. (1924-1984) [Halston, Roy. (1932-1990)]: "Music for Chameleons" – Signed and Inscribed to Halston
Brand: "B" Dry Goods
SKU: 20474
Price: 4000.0 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

8vo. 262 pp. Cloth bound with slip cover. First edition special limited separate printing of the great American novelist's collection of short fiction and non-fiction, signed and inscribed on the first free endpage to the legendary American fashion designer and close friend: "This is one of fifty copies printed for friends of the author / Dear Halston / Love Truman / October, 1980".

Stated "First Edition" and the number line ending in "2" on the copyright page as was Random House's policy at the time (Ahearn). A perfect copy bound in woven dark brown cloth stamped brightly in gold on the front boards and the spine. With the original off-white box which is lightly soiled and inscribed with a small letter "H." in Capote's hand at the top of the spine of the slipcase denoting this as Halston's copy. This special copy differs from the regular signed limited edition of 350 copies in that the signed presentation to Halston appears on a special extra page (ie, there no separate limitation page); and the slipcase of the regular signed limited matches the dark brown binding of the book, as opposed to the special lighter, beige slipcase for this, one of just 50 copies. 6 x 9 inches (15.2 x 22.9 cm.).

Capote's first collection of new material in fourteen years, the 1980 collection of short fiction and non-fiction Music for Chameleons spent sixteen weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, unprecedented for a collection of short works.

Capote and Halston had long been close friends. In 1966, to honor the enormous success of "In Cold Blood", Capote hosted a spectacular gathering in New York City – The Black and White Ball – widely considered to have been the most famous party of the 20th century, and among the many designers eager to dress the A-List attendees was newcomer Halston, who created the now iconic Bunny Mask worn by Candice Bergen. A few months after the present item's inscription, Halston hosted a party in Capote's honor for his two-week engagement at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, where he was reading from his short stories and was dressed by Halston in a gray cardigan sweater over a gray silk shirt, gray flannel pants and black velvet slippers. Halston told the Times that "Truman is the perfect client," adding that "it was all Truman's idea. He told me exactly what he wanted, right down to the mother-of-pearl buttons on the sweater. I didn't have to do much work at all." (Judy Klemesrud, "The Evening Hours," NYT, December 19, 1980)