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SHELLEY, MARY W.. History of A Six Weeks' Tour Through A Part of France, Switzerland, Germany, and Holland: With Letters Descriptive of A Sail Round the Lake of Geneva, and of The Glaciers of Chamoni. London: T. Hookham, Jun., and C. and J. Ollier, 1817, 1817.

Price: US$6500.00 + shipping

Description: First Edition of the author's first book, which beat the far better known and celebrated Frankenstein out of the gate by a couple of months. Issued anonymously, although there is a variant title page crediting the already successful and presumably commercially attractive Percy Bysshe Shelley as the author. Primarily the work of Mary, and based on her journals, it includes contributions by her husband, including his poem, 'Mont Blanc.' There is a tiny, contemporary ink signature on the front pastedown; an excellent copy in what appears to be a publisher's cloth binding in a green moire pattern, titled in gilt on the spine, between decorative devices, 'Shelley's Tour.' The book was certainly issued, as nearly all books were at that time, in paper-covered boards with a paper spine label, and, in that binding, rare as it might be, it is inevitably seen in deplorable condition. These bindings were intended to be temporary, meant to be bound to the purchaser's order and preference, and therefore copies are often found in leather and boards of various description. The present copy, however, gives no indication of ever having been previously bound. Publisher's cloth bindings were not commonly offered until the following decade. Early though it was, it is conceivable that it was available in cloth upon publication, but it is also possible that some unsold, still-unbound sheets were bound in cloth from the 92 sets that Ollier still had in stock when he went out of business in 1823. All books described as first editions are first printings unless otherwise noted.

Seller: Peter L. Stern & Co., Inc, Newton, MA, U.S.A.

SHELLEY, Mary Wollstonecraft; SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe. HISTORY OF A SIX WEEKS' TOUR THROUGH A PART OF FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, GERMANY, AND HOLLAND. With Letters Descriptive of a Sail Round the Lake of Geneva, and of the Glaciers of Chamouni.. London: T. Hookham, Jun., and C. and J. Ollier., 1817.

Price: US$8447.05 + shipping

Description: First edition, first printing of Mary Shelley's first book. Contemporary half calf over marbled paper covered boards, ruled, decorated and with titles in gilt to the spine. Marbled endpapers. Bookplate of Charles Dodd to the front pastedown. Bound without half title. Pencil ownership inscription and notes concerning the present copy by the author William St Clair to the blank reverse of the front endpaper. An attractive example, the binding square and firm, the upper hinge skillfully refurbished. The contents, with spotting mostly confined to the prelims but occasionally throughout, are otherwise in excellent condition with good margins. Bound with "The Traveller's Guide to France and the Netherlands" by John Sugden, published by T. Boosey in 1817. Half title present, but without the map. Scarce account of the Shelley's two trips into Europe, in 1814 and 1816. Lowndes 2374; R. Ingpen, Shelley in England p.444: "From the day that Mary joined the lot with Shelley they kept a joint dairy. From this journal (.) Mary compiled a little account of this journey and their later visit to the Continent, which was later published in 1817". Divided into three sections, the text consists of a journal, four letters and a poem. Primarily the work of Mary, it includes several contributions from Percy (including the preface and two letters) but most notably the first publication of his celebrated poem, Mont Blanc. Despite mostly favourable reviews the book sold poorly and when Charles Ollier, the co-publisher, went out of business in 1823, his inventory included 92 copies of the work. William St Clair in his penciled note to the present copy writes "The fact that these two books are bound together in Regency style suggests that this was one of the few copies of the "Six Weeks Tour" which was sold at the time of publication, as distinct from being remaindered later". Further details and images for any of the items listed are available on request. Lucius Books welcomes direct contact with our customers.

Seller: LUCIUS BOOKS (ABA, ILAB, PBFA), York, United Kingdom