I’m always intrigued by the Zamorano Club’s publications. The Zamorano Club was established in 1928 by Los Angeles bibliophiles, named for Augustin Zamorano, California’s first printer, and treated its members to small press runs (often from the Ward Ritchie Press) of curious or remarkable items. This small item, by the Grace Hoper Press, is a reprint of a lighthearted, one-page letter written c. 1922 by John Steinbeck about his lack of poetic works and was addressed to William Carruth (d. 1924), professor of comparative literature at Stanford.

What’s remarkable about this particular item is the price: 270 pounds, about $435. The vendor has thoughtfully included a scan of the letter so that bidders can decide whether the pamphlet is worth the price. As with anything on EBay, an item and vendor should be evaluated thoroughly before submitting a bid.