Dallas: Texas Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, 1955. Bound archive of typed letters signed. Quarto, 28x22cm, [1] printed presentation leaf plus 185 TLS bound in. Full brown morocco ruled and lettered in gilt, brown silk endpapers. Bookbinder's ticket of Henry Nuss of Dallas on rear endpaper. Very good with some rubbing to joints and edges of boards, contents clean.
Large archive of letters written, bound, and presented to Harry W. Bass Sr. (1895-1970) on the occasion of his retirement from the presidency of the Texas Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association at their 36th annual meeting in Dallas, 1955. This immense volume gives some idea of his prominence and influence during the Texas oil boom of the first half of the 20th century. Harry Bass, a native of Oklahoma, got his start in banking which led to his investing in the oil and gas business there and in Texas in the 1920's. He founded several companies including Champlin & Bass, Trinity Gas Corp., Goliad Corp., and Can-Tex drilling which operated in Alberta, Canada. One of Bass's most important contributions to drilling operations came in his development of the A-frame derrick.

The letters in this book range from gushing, two-page appreciations from former coworkers to brief, professional blurbs from prominent businessmen. All the major and minor gas and oil companies from across the country, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and many other states are well represented by presidents, vice presidents, chairmen of boards, executives, etc., on beautiful company letterheads. Bass's efforts in Canada are lauded by several figures of importance who have sent letters. Key political figures have written in, highlighted by then Senate Majority Leader, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and Ernest C. Manning, the Premier of Alberta. Banking, where Bass got his start, and legal sectors are also accounted for in this archive.

Price: $2,500.00