8vo. 7pp. advertisements at end. (Some minor browning and a few pale spots.) Original green blind-stamped cloth (a few ink stains to lower cover and fore-edge, hinges starting, lightly rubbed, spine sunned); slipcase.

FIRST EDITION. With the exception of "The Piazza," all of the short stories in The Piazza Tales had previously appeared in Putnam's Monthly between 1853-1855, the most notable among them being "Bartleby the Scrivener," now a classic of American short fiction. The Piazza Tales did little to rescue Melville from his slide into obscurity.  It is unlikely that he earned any royalties from the publication of this book, which likely helped drive its American publisher out of business. The present copy is missing signature mark 14 (no priority established). BAL 13669.