Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, London, UK, 1883.
Price: US$45.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Hardcover. Book Condition: Good+. Chatto & Windus, London, UK 1883. 561 pages. With over 300 illustrations. Moderate general wear. Spine top and bottom is frayed. Size: 8vo 7.75 - 9.75'' tall. History::Localities Nautical::History 6025
Seller: BookScene, Hull, MA, U.S.A.
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto and Windus, 1883.
Price: US$51.23 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Octavo. The English edition preceded the American. Frontispiece with tissue guard. This is Mark Twain's memoir of his time as a steamboat pilot before the Civil War. It is also a travel book, recounting his trip along the Mississippi River from St. Louis to New Orleans many years after the war. The book is bound in the original red cloth covered boards with gold titling and illustrations on the spine and front board and a black publisher's logo on the rear board. The binding is clean and quite fresh-looking, without stains, but the front hinge is split, so that the cloth spine panel is detached but just holding. The front hinge is still complete, if a little weakened. The spine is a little sunned. The contents are tight and clean There is no inscription. Size: 7.6" Tall First edition, later issue (32 pages of ads dated July 1893). First edition at an affordable price, just needs a little inexpensive professional re-backing or repair (-- or not),
Seller: Polyanthus Books, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$79.40 + shipping
Description: Hardback, 14x19.5cm, 561pp + 32p catalogue at rear. Good condition in red cloth with black decoration and gilt lettering. General wear, flecking and stains. Cocked spine. Frayed, bumped corners. Cracked hinges. Bookseller's imprint at ffep. Owner's details penned at first blank page. Foxed, torn and creased at tissue guard. Well-thumbed pages throughout, with some foxing and occasional minor marks, nicks and dogears. Upper edge is occasionally rough and creased, with some minor tears, from rough opening. Several 1cm closed tears at upper edges. A 1.5x3cm strip torn from upper corner of p169/170 - text not affected. Gathering between p177-192 is a bit slacker than the rest. Creased corner at p205.
Seller: City Basement Books, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1883.
Price: US$96.06 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain of his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War. First English edition, second printing (publisher's catalogue at rear dated August 1883). With over 300 illustrations. Original publisher's red cloth with illustration stamped in black to upper cover and spine and with the title in gilt. Publishers' device stamped in black and red on the lower cover. Wear to the head and foot of the spine and to the corners. Binding has come undone in places - pp, 161-176 and the title page are separated (see images for details).
Seller: Burley Fisher Books, London, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$120.00 + shipping
Description: Two leaves (p. 39-42) loose, their edges consequently ruffled.
Seller: John R. Sanderson, Bookseller , Stockbridge, MA, U.S.A.
Twain, Mark. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. Dawson Brothers, Montreal, 1883.
Price: US$173.74 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: FIRST CANADIAN EDITION. COPYRIGHTED IN THE NAME OF CHATTO (ANDREW) but obviously printed from the American Sheets. . Brick cloth binding with decorated end papers and paste-downs, superficial paper split inside rear spine seam, 547 pages which includes 54 illustrations and a 34 page appendixes A-D (Further Stories), minor foxing to last few pages, book has numerous illustrations including small steam boat on the title page, previous bend mark top right cover corner otherwise book is clean, complete, and tight.
Seller: Barry's Books, San Antonio, TX, U.S.A.
TWAIN, Mark. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. Chatto & Windus, 1883.
Price: US$179.32 + shipping
Description: First (English) edition. Second issue. Very good condition. Extremities a trifle worn and small spilt at top of spine.
Seller: Surrey Hills Books, Cranleigh, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark [Clemens, Samuel]. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$200.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, [i-ii], [i]-[xxvi], [1]-561 pages. In Very Good minus condition. Bound in red cloth with gilt lettering and stamped illustrations on spine and front cover. Boards have sunning to spine, bumping to corners, and light shelfwear. Textblock has sticker on front pastedown and partial splitting to rear interior hinge. Shelved in Case 13. BAL 3410. 1376181. Shelved Dupont Bookstore.
Seller: Second Story Books, ABAA, Rockville, MD, U.S.A.
TWAIN, Mark. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. London : Chatto & Windus, 1883.
Price: US$211.34 + shipping
Description: First UK Edition. The English edition preceded the American. This is the first issue with the 32 pages of adverts dated March 1883. c500 text illustrations including the frontispiece (with tissue guard). Original pictorial red cloth, with original brown floral end papers. Spine of boards somewhat faded and bottom of spine worn. Bottom right of front board is a little pummelled. Small bookseller logo on front blank, but otherwise internally clean and in very good condition. A very good copy of the first issue.
Seller: Surrey Hills Books, Cranleigh, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Published by Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$224.15 + shipping
Description: , xxv, 561 pages, plus 32-page publishers catalogue at the rear, black & white illustrations throughout, floral patterned endpapers First UK Edition/First Issue , cloth just slightly faded at spine, covers clean, small blindstamped bookseller logo on front blank, internally clean, book in very good condition , red pictorial cloth, gilt titles, black illustration Octavo Hardback ISBN:
Seller: Keoghs Books, Skipton, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$224.98 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: VG First UK edition. Hardcover in Illustrated red cloth. Spine darkened. Cnrs. bumped. Appears that there may have been some very good professional conservation done on the book - endpapers reinforced. Book is tight and square. Title page and frontice-piece tissue-guard are foxed. Terrific copy. 561pp. + 32pp. of ads (dated March 1883)
Seller: Yarra Cottage Books, Warrandyte, VIC, Australia
MARK TWAIN. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. CHATTO & WINDUS, LONDON, 1883.
Price: US$249.77 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: FIRST EDITION BUT A LATER ISSUE WITH JULY 1883 TO REAR CATALOGUE [FIRST ISSUE WAS MARCH 1883] HARDBACK IN THE ORIGINAL DECORATED CLOTH BINDING, NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS + FRONTIS, PUBLISHER'S CATALOGUE TO REAR, ORIGINAL DECORATED ENDPAPERS. BOOK MEASURES APPROX 8 x 5 INCHES WITH 25 + 561 PAGES + CATALOGUE. LIGHT WEAR AT TOP & BOTTOM OF SPINE WITH SPINE SLIGHTLY FADED, OCCASIONAL SPOTS OF LIGHT FOXING BUT HEAVIER FOXING TO ONE BLANK FRONT ENDPAPER & LAST PAGE OF CATALOGUE, SLIGHT BROWNING TO MARGINS OF TITLE PAGE & FRONTIS. OVERALL A VERY GOOD COPY IN BETTER THAN THE USUAL CONDITION. EXTRA POSTAGE COSTS MAY APPLY TO OVERSEAS ORDERS.
Seller: Elder Books, Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. London Chatto & Windus 1883, 1883.
Price: US$249.77 + shipping
Description: First UK edition, first printing. Published by Chatto & Windus, London, in 1883. This is a near fine copy. The red pictorial boards are generally clean and beautifully illustrated by E. H. Garrett; there are, however, some very slight marks on the rear panel. The boards are sharp at the corners and tight at the spine. The spine is slightly faded, but the gilt titling remains bright and clean. The text blocks are very slightly toned due to poor paper stock, but are otherwise clean and free from foxing. The internal pages are also clean and free from foxing, with each of the "over 300 illustrations" present. The rear catalogue is dated 'March 1883', making this the first issue. This copy is free from previous owners ink and is, overall, in near fine condition. A memoir of Twain's days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War. It is also a travel book, recounting his trip up the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Saint Paul many years after the war.
Seller: John Atkinson Books ABA ILAB PBFA, Harrogate, United Kingdom
Mark Twain. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. London., Chatto and Windus, 1883.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: London., Chatto and Windus, 1883. 1st edition. Red, decorated cloth. Ada dated March 1883. Slight soiling to boards, spine considerably faded. Spine cocked about 10 degrees. Predates the American 1st edition by several days.
Seller: Tom Davies Rare Books, Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A.
MARK TWAIN.. Life on the Mississippi.. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$288.19 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First edition in the correct first state binding, this UK issue preceding the American edition by a matter of days. 8vo. xxv, 561pp + xxxii publisher's (first state) catalogue dated March 1883. Pictorial red cloth, gilt lettered at the spine and upper board. Patterned endpapers. With a tissue-protected frontispiece, and title page decoration and over three hundred illustrations as plates and in the text. The backstrip cloth very slightly faded. Some wear to the spine ends and just a touch more to the corner tips, and a strip of discolouration to the fore edge of the upper board. Fore edge lightly spotted, and with some spotting to several preliminary and concluding leaves. A good copy, really very crisp internally. The author's memoirs of his life as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War, plus an account of his post-war river trip from New Orleans to Saint Paul.
Seller: Clearwater Books, London, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi ****1ST UK Edition****. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$320.22 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: first u.k edition- london ;chatto and windus 1883, rubbing ,staining to boards [ not severe ], spine slight fading first issue with over 300 illustrations, contents vg. P
Seller: BRITOBOOKS, isle of man, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, 1883.
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Very good first U.K. edition, first issue with March, 1883 also printed in back of book on Chatto & Windus's list of books. Wear on spine edges, gutters, and corners of boards. Previous owner's writing in pencil on half-title. One gathering at back of book detached, gathering at front of book (sigs A, B) detached. Binding loose between cover board and front free endpaper. Very lightly spine-cocked.
Seller: Bookbid, Beverly Hills, CA, U.S.A.
Twain, Mark 1835-1910). Life on the Mississippi / by Mark Twain. London : Chatto & Windus, 1883.
Price: US$356.28 + shipping
Description: Poor copy in the original gilt-blocked cloth, with pictorial cover. Worn spine, front board stained, hinges starting. Frontispiece is accompanied by a guard sheet. Text remains clear without blemish. Physical description: xxv, 561 pages, 1 unnumbered leaf of plates: illustrations, portraits; 20 cm. Notes: With over 300 illustrations.Subjects: Manners and customs. Travel. Mississippi River Description and travel.Mississippi River Valley Social life and customs.Genre: Illustrated. 1 Kg.
Seller: MW Books Ltd., Galway, Ireland
Twain, Mark 1835-1910). Life on the Mississippi / by Mark Twain. London : Chatto & Windus, 1883.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Description: Poor copy in the original gilt-blocked cloth, with pictorial cover. Worn spine, front board stained, hinges starting. Frontispiece is accompanied by a guard sheet. Text remains clear without blemish. Physical description: xxv, 561 pages, 1 unnumbered leaf of plates: illustrations, portraits; 20 cm. Notes: With over 300 illustrations.Subjects: Manners and customs. Travel. Mississippi River Description and travel.Mississippi River Valley Social life and customs.Genre: Illustrated. 1 Kg.
Seller: MW Books, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Twain, Mark. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. Chatto & Windus, 1883.
Price: US$406.00 + shipping
Description: LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI, Chatto & Windus, 1883, first edition (preceding the American edition by several days), three leaves opened a bit roughly at the fore edge, slight wear to the extremities of the somewhat faded spine, a bit of foxing to the frontis and title page, else a vg copy in the publishers black stamped pictorial cloth with gold-gilt lettering to the front cover and spine. Profusely illustrated with drawings on almost 65% of the text block. This copy has a 32 page publishers catalogue dated March, 1883 at the rear.
Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$436.50 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardcover , Pictorial Red cloth covers, with black stamped design and gold gilt titles on cover and spine. Very clean and colorful covers, some fading to the spine. Corners are scuffed on front cover, spine ends are tender. There is a previous owners signature neatly inked in on an inside blank leaf, and a bookplate to the inside board. Ads at the rear of the book dated 'March, 1883' . Over 300 b/w illustrations inside the text pages. Leaf patterned / designed endpapers are clean and unmarked. A really nice copy of a Twain classic.
Seller: The Kings Word, Marietta, GA, U.S.A.
TWAIN, Mark.. Life on the Mississippi.. Chatto & Windus, London., 1883.
Price: US$448.30 + shipping
Description: First edition: narrowly precedes the U.S. edition. Octavo. pp xxvi, 563, [3]. First issue: 32-page publishers' catalogue, dated March 1883, at rear. Over 300 illustrations. Patterned endpapers. Red pictorial cloth black and gilt.Spine slightly faded. Corners of covers slightly rubbed. Very good. A bright copy.
Seller: Peter Ellis, Bookseller, ABA, ILAB, London, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First UK edition of the non-fiction companion to HUCKLEBERRY FINN, a memoir of Twain's experiences as a steamboat pilot before the Civil War. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI draws together two major strands of Twain's writing: the pensive regional descriptions of the South of his younger years, and the spirited travel narratives that took readers with him on adventures. Twain biographer Justin Kaplan sees the development of this memoir and HUCKLEBERRY FINN, written at the same time, as "symbiotic": when stuck on one, Twain would turn to the other. The relationship between the two was so close that material from HUCK actually ended up in LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI, including an entire chapter. The first UK edition is technically the first to reach the public, preceding the US edition by several days for copyright purposes. Octavo, 7.5'' x 5''. Original red cloth stamped in gilt and black. Brown leaf-patterned endpapers. Illustrated in black and white. Publisher's catalogue at rear, dated March 1883. xxvi, 561, [3], 32 pages. Contemporary ink gift inscription (dated August 1883) to second fly leaf; ink owner name with matching date to corner of title page; marginal pencil notation on page 17. Evidence of bookplate removal to front pastedown. Binding recased, with light soil and bumping to boards. Slight lean. Some bleed of red cloth color to endpapers. Else interior largely clean with just a few instances of soil. Tight.
Seller: Type Punch Matrix, Silver Spring, MD, U.S.A.
Twain, Mark. Life On The Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, Picadilly, London, 1883.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Attractive red binding with bright gilt on the cover (BAL 3410); March 1883 catalog; end papers with leaf pattern spine has some chipping to top and bottom ; some spots on back cover; spine is somewhat darkened; binding slightly cocked; Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall
Seller: Cornelius Muhilly Rare Books, Kansas City, MO, U.S.A.
TWAIN Mark. Samuel L. Clemens. Life on the Mississippi. , 1883.
Price: US$484.17 + shipping
Description: Frontispiece and illustrations. First English edition, first issue with publisher's advertisements dated 'March, 1883'. 8vo. Original red pictorial cloth, lettered in gilt and blocked in black. London, Chatto and Windus Twain's memoir of his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi river. The true first edition, preceding the American edition by a few days. A first issue of the first edition, with the 32 page catalogue dated March 1883. Some faint spotting to edges, foxing to frontispiece and title page, but otherwise generally internally clean, some light shelf wear to extremities, spine faded, slight lean to text block, notwithstanding a very good copy overall.
Seller: Maggs Bros. Ltd ABA, ILAB, PBFA, BA, London, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Montreal, Dawson Brothers, 1883.
Price: US$486.19 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First Canadian edition, preceding the American edition by a few days and after the Chatto and Windus edition by a day or so. Cluster published by Twain in a successful move to break the backs of his tenacious pirates, here for the first time, Twain showed up in Ottawa upon publication to firm up his legal position and copyright protection. Red morocco grained cloth with dulled gilt spine lettering and sunned spine. Wear to the cloth at the corners and spine ends, hinges expertly repaired with Japanese tissue, but in all a clean and tight copy. Chapter 31 portrays the first use of fingerprints to solve a crime in a work of fiction. The Canadian edition differs typographically from the American and the UK editions. BAL 3411.
Seller: Karol Krysik Books ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA, Toronto, ON, Canada
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Description: Hard Cover. No Jacket. First Edition. HBNO DJ Issued, minor rub & fox, red cloth Gold Gilt,1883, 1st edition, Ads in back dated March 1883,VG, NODJ
Seller: Bluff Park Rare Books, LONG BEACH, CA, U.S.A.
TWAIN, Mark. Life on the Mississippi.; With over 300 illustrations. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition (preceding the American edition issued the same year). 8vo. xxv, 561pp. Plates; 32-page publisher's catalogue, dated March, 1883. BAL 3410. Original black and gilt-stamped illustrated red cloth (a little soiled), patterned endpapers. Very good. (2607).
Seller: Bartleby's Books, ABAA, Chevy Chase, MD, U.S.A.
Price: US$553.61 + shipping
Description: Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1883. 8°. XXV, 561 Seiten, 32 Seiten Verlagsanzeigen. OLeinen mit Deckel- und Rückentitel in Gold. Original cloth with gilt impression on cover and spine. "WE ARE WELLKNOWN FOR BOOKS ONLY IN BEST CONDITION" - WIR SIND BEKANNT FÜR SOLIDESTE VERPACKUNG" Erste Ausgabe. First UK edition together with US edition in 1883. Near fine condition. Rare in this condition. Sprache: Englisch. *** Bitte kontaktieren Sie mich immer BEVOR Sie bestellen! Für ausführliche Beschreibungen und Bilder sowie günstigere Versandoptionen kontaktieren Sie mich bitte per Email! Please contact me always BEFORE you order! For detailled descriptions and photos as well as cheaper shipping options please send an email! ***
Seller: Antiquariat CoBrA, Oberrohrbach, Austria
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$612.56 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Frontis & Illustrations. Contemporary half morocco. Minor staining on last 10 leaves. Neat gilt crest stamp on spine and front board. A handsome binding.
Seller: Anah Dunsheath RareBooks ABA ANZAAB ILAB, Auckland, NZ, New Zealand
Price: US$621.67 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Full-page frontis (with tissue guard) + over 300 text illustrations, some signed by E.H. Garrett and A.B. Shelte. Octavo red cloth gilt titles with black stamped design of angry men in rowboats threatening passing paddle steamer (professionally repaired in 2003), ownership label "Charles Clegg" tipped in and pencil inscription "May 21, 83" on rear free endpaper, xxv+561+32 pages of publisher's ads, dated Mar. 1883. *Beautifully restored copy in modern plain cardboard slipcase (referenced by: BAL 3410).
Seller: Abbey Antiquarian Books, Blockley, GLOS, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. Life On The Mississippi; With Over 300 Illustrations. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Description: 561 pages.19 x 13.5 cm. The English edition preceded the American. 32 pages of adverts dated March 1883. Frontispiece with tissue guard. Endpapers printed in brown and leaf pattern. Very bright, fresh copy, partly unopened. BLANCK 3410. Orig. pictorial cloth lettered in gilt. Fine
Seller: Royoung Bookseller, Inc. ABAA, Ardsley, NY, U.S.A.
TWAIN, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Description: Frontispiece engraving of a New Orleans steamboat with tissue guard and over 300 black and white illustrations throughout. Original illustrated red publisher's cloth with title in gilt on front and illustration of a steamboat captain on the spine; brown floral endpapers, spine a bit faded but otherwise a very good copy with the ownership signature of Catherine L. Paton dated 6th June 1883 on the fly-leaf.
Seller: B & L Rootenberg Rare Books, ABAA, Sherman Oaks, CA, U.S.A.
Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, London, 1883.
Price: US$772.50 + shipping
Description: Octavo. The English edition preceded the American. 32 pages of ads dated March 1883. Frontispiece with tissue guard. Endpapers printed in brown and leaf pattern. It lists the St. Charles Hotel as does the second state of the American edition. Blanck 3411 notes that the first state has St. Louis Hotel as well as the urn flames head of Mark Twain which Twain's wife had removed which she considered too morbid. Note: While some state it was published several days before the American edition, it is clear that from internal evidence that it is the first English printing of the second state. The external evidence which Blanck cites as advertised on April 28, 1883 but published on May 12. The day of publication was listed as April 28 though the three copies deposited were on May 17. While there is an unsigned bookplate, the main point is this is a near fine copy of the first English edition and remarkably bright with just a bit of fading to spine and a couple of minute closed tear to head. A very nice sharp cornered copy. [Blanck 3410].
Seller: Alcuin Books, ABAA/ILAB, Scottsdale, AZ, U.S.A.
Twain (Mark) [Samuel L. Clemens].. Life on the Mississippi. Chatto & Windus,, 1883.
Price: US$806.94 + shipping
Description: Frontispiece, illustrations A few minor marks to covers, spine very slightly faded, just a little occasional foxing, otherwise a very nice copy; booksellers small label on front pastedown Later State, with advertisements dated July 188? - the final digit has been erased. Original red cloth, illustrated in black and lettered in gilt, end-papers with brown leaf pattern
Seller: Bertram Rota Ltd, Kintbury, United Kingdom
Twain, Mark. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI. Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, London, 1883.
Price: US$1091.45 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Red decorated/illustrated cloth, spine darkened, shelf wear to bottom and top of spine, corners bumped, decorated end papers and paste-downs, small paper split to top front inside seam, 561 pages plus 32 pages of book ads at the rear of the book dated March 1883 as called for by BAL (First Edition, First Issue), two former owner's very decorative book plates inside front paste-down and end paper (One executed by Franklin Booth), very decorative, book has over 300 illustrations and is otherwise clean, complete, and tight.Gilt lettering on cover and spine. Illustrated front cover and spine. Precedes American Edition. First owner was well-known Author/Novelist and Statesman Paul Hyde Bonner. The second owner was Edith Newman Frederici (Booth Bookplate) a book collector in her own right. This book was probably purchased by Frederici during the 1934 Auction/Public Sale of Paul Hyde Bonner's collection of First Editions and Manuscripts by Anderson Galleries Inc.
Seller: Barry's Books, San Antonio, TX, U.S.A.
Mark Twain. Life On The Mississippi. Chatto & Windus, 1883.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: CLEMENS, Samuel (Mark Twain) (18351910). Life on the Mississippi. London: Chatto & Windus, 1883. 8vo. Woodengraved frontispiece, plates and numerous woodengraved illustrations in text; 32 pp. publishers catalogue at rear dated April 1883. Full red morocco with gilt fillet border, raised bands gilt, compartments framed and lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, gilt fillet turn ins, gilt stampsigned by BayntunRiviere. FIRST ENGLISH EDITION, preceding the American edition by several days.
Seller: Reagan's Rare Books, Moseley, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Description: 624pp. plus frontispiece and plates. In-text illustrations. Large octavo. Brown cloth, elaborately decorated in gilt and black, a.e.g. Spine ends very slightly worn, inner hinges neatly repaired. Bookplates on front pastedown and front free endpaper. Clean internally. Fine. In a half morocco and cloth slipcase and chemise. First U.S. edition, preceded by a few days by the Chatto & Windus edition. This is BAL's first state, with the flaming device on page 441, and with the caption on page 443 uncorrected. A quite unusual and rare binding variant, with all edges gilt. An excellent copy of one of the best American memoirs ever written, describing Twain's early life along the river. "It is in many ways his most personal book, full of humor, recollections, nostalgia, occasional sadness, anecdote, history, and scenery" - Reese. BAL 3411. HOWES C480. CLARK NEW SOUTH I:285. REESE, BEST OF THE WEST 183 (note). REESE, NARRATIVES OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 26.
Seller: William Reese Company - Americana, New Haven, CT, U.S.A.