Clemens, Samuel Langhorne (1835-1910) (“Mark Twain”). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Charles L. Webster & Company, 1885.
8vo. Lithographic frontispiece by E. W. Kemble with tissue-guard, photographic portrait frontispiece of the bust of Mark Twain by Karl Gerhardt [BAL state 2], in-text illustrations throughout. Publisher's deluxe three-quarter morocco gilt, all edges marbled (upper cover detached, rear joint splitting); morocco-backed slipcase and folding chemise.
FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, EARLY STATE, with the following issue points: the title leaf is in either second or third state (first state only noted in the prospectus; no copy has ever been seen); first state portrait frontispiece; first state of p.9 with "decided" for "decides"; first state of p.13 with "Him and Another Man" plate incorrectly listed as being on p.88; first state of p.57 with "was" for "saw"; first/second state of pagination on p.155.
IN THE RARE PUBLISHER'S DELUXE MOROCCO. "Less than two weeks before publication, Webster announced that he was binding 20,000 copies in cloth, another 2,500 in sheep, and 500 copies in three-quarter morocco" (Mac Donell, Firsts, Vol. 8, No. 9, September 1998, p.35). BAL 3415; Grolier100 American, 87; Johnson, pp.43-50.
This lot is located in Chicago.