Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892. Leaves of Grass (Brooklyn : New York, 1855).

This fragile volume is the self-published first edition of what was to become Whitman's best-known and most influential work. The cloth spine is chipped and torn and the pages, several of which are loose, have become acidic.

Proposed treatment: Disbind, wash, and deacidify pages. Reduce stain on frontispiece. Resew at original sewing stations and restore to original binding.

Estimated cost of treatment: $1,700