Books and Manuscripts

[Literature] Stevenson, Robert Louis
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1886. First English edition, issue in wrappers (with year at bottom corrected in ink by the publisher from “1885” to “1886”). 8vo. (viii), 141, (3) pp.; including half-title and one page of ads at rear. Publisher’s stiff tan wrappers, printed in blue and in red, small contemporary bookseller’s ticket below same, wrappers lightly worn, spine worn but sound; all edges trimmed; front wrapper and first several leaves lightly creased; in cloth folding case. McKay 349; Prideaux 17

A stunningly well preserved and unsophisticated first English edition in wrappers of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic horror novel. Preceded by Charles Scribner’s first American edition by only four days, this English edition was originally intended for release in time for Christmas, 1885, but “when it was ready the bookstalls were already full of Christmas numbers, etc., and the trade would not look at it.” (McKay) It was subsequently published on January 9, 1886, with the year on the front wrappers corrected in ink from “1885” to “1886”.