Armstrong, Louis. (1901–1971) [Goffin, Robert. (1898–1984)]. Horn of Plenty - INSCRIBED TO WILD BILL DAVISON. New York: Allen, Towne & Heath, Inc.. 1947. First edition. Story of Louis Armstrong, inscribed by Armstrong on the front free endpage "To my life long Buddy Bill Davidson from Louis Armstrong." First edition in English, published in French, in Paris, in the same year. Hardcover, original blue cloth, title in gilt to spine, treble clef embossed to the upper board. Portrait frontispiece, 304 pp. Signed page heavily toned, half title with two small punched holes, spine rubbed with ends a bit frayed, somewhat shaken but solid.


Robert Goffin and Armstrong were close friends and although the volume is credited to Goffin, the later publication of his notebooks makes amply clear that he was in fact acting as Armstrong's paid amanuensis, much of the included material being drawn from Armstrong's own manuscript autobiography. 'Wild' Bill Davison (1906 - 1989) was a fiery jazz cornet player who emerged in the 1920s and is best remembered for his association with the bandleader Eddie Condon, with whom he worked and recorded from the mid-1940s through to the 1960s. Between 1924 and his death, Davison made about 800 recordings, saying at age 76 that "I'll go on playing until my teeth drop out." Louis Armstrong once told him "If anything ever happens to me, I know you can keep on doing what I'm doing." (NY Times Obituary, November 16, 1989) There is no second "d" in Bill's name which makes Armstrong's inscription in the present volume even more endearing.