The Good Shepherd by Gunnar Gunnarsson (not authenticated)

The item depicted is an open hardcover book showing the title page. The visible page displays the title 'THE GOOD SHEPHERD' in red lettering, followed by 'BY GUNNAR GUNNARSSON', a small star symbol, a biblical quote reading 'The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. JOHN 10:11', 'TRANSLATED BY KENNETH C. KAUFMAN', 'ILLUSTRATED BY MASHA SIMKOVITCH', and the publisher information 'THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY PUBLISHERS INDIANAPOLIS NEW YORK'. On the facing left page, a black and white woodcut-style illustration is visible, featuring a figure and a signature reading 'MASHA' near the bottom left corner. The paper has a textured, laid finish with a cream or off-white tone. The lighting is ambient, showing the interior pages clearly while the edges fall into shadow. Visible condition issues are minimal from the angle shown, displaying natural age-related toning of the paper consistent with mid-20th-century publishing materials. The identification in the name rests on the legible title page text identifying the author, illustrator, and publisher. The owner provides unverified context claiming this is a 1940 first edition, which cannot be fully verified solely from the title page photograph without examining the copyright page. The style and typography are consistent with American publishing of the 1930s or 1940s.

Based on the provided image, I am looking at the title page and frontispiece of a hardcover book titled 'The Good Shepherd' by Gunnar Gunnarsson. The illustration bears a signature consistent with Masha Simkovitch, and the publisher is listed as Bobbs-Merrill. The owner identifies this as a 1940 first edition. I cannot fully evaluate this claim from a single photograph of the title page, as physical inspection of the copyright page and binding is required to check for standard first edition markers. The visible pages show age-related toning typical of mid-20th-century paper stock, but appear to be in good visual condition. Assuming the owner's hypothesis that this is a first edition is correct, and assuming the rest of the volume is in comparable condition, I would estimate its value in the $15 to $30 range. The presence and condition of an original dust jacket, which cannot be determined from this photo, would heavily influence the upper end of this estimate. There is modest collector interest for mid-century illustrated editions in the general market. To fully evaluate the edition state and overall structural integrity, in-person examination by a rare book specialist is necessary. If this turns out to be a later printing or a book club edition rather than a first edition, the value would be nominally lower, generally under $10.