Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$200.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First appearance of Moby Dick (pgs. 658-665), featuring "The Town-Ho's Story", which became chapter 54 in the novel. 3/4 leather bound, board edges and paper covered board panels are rubbed and worn. First few pages are loosening but intact, solid text block. Old name is written in pencil on the front free endpaper- no other marks or notations. Harper's Magazine, Vol. 3 (1851). 864 pages.
Seller: Ed's Editions LLC, ABAA, West Columbia, SC, U.S.A.
Price: US$200.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Volume III ONLY. June to November, 1851. Bound in one. Hardcover. Bound in half black leather and textured dark brown publisher's cloth. Covers are plain with gilt tooled ornamentation at the seams. Spine is black leather with stamped in gilt lettering and decorative lining. Illustrated occasionally throughout with engravings in black and white. Dual columned. Contains list of illustrations. viii, 684 pp. A LITTLE ABOUT THE CONTENTS: "In the October 1851 issue of Harper's New Monthly Magazine 'The Town Ho's Story' was published, with a footnote reading: 'From The Whale'. The title of a new work by Mr. Melville, in the press of Harper and Brothers, and now publishing in London by Mr. Bentley." (Wikipedia). See page 658 for first printing from Melville's "Moby Dick". CONDITION: Overall VG to VG+. External cover shows general shelf wear, especially at the corners and edges. Inner hinges have cracked, yet both boards are firmly attached and the binding is solid. Some foxing throughout, yet is unmarked except for notation on the front flyleaf and owner's previous name on the title page, both in pencil. Engravings are wonderful. Pagination appears complete. A special copy. Full refund if not satisfied.
Seller: Shelley and Son Books (IOBA), Hendersonville, NC, U.S.A.
Price: US$202.50 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Contents: Summer (poem), by James Thomson. ; Joe Smith and the Mormons, by James F. W. Johnston. ; Varieties in English Life, by Edward Bulwer Lytton. ; Napoleon Bonaparte, by John S. C. Abbott. ; The Treason of Benedict Arnold, by Benson J. Lossing. It also contains some very interesting articles, including one on unsinkable lifeboats, others on Mormons, fashions, giraffes, electro-magnetism applied to railroads, solar eclipse, Lapland, etc. The Town-Ho's Story, by Herman Melville. ; Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" Tall. The "Town Ho's Story" appeared on pages 659-665 in the October 1851 issue of Harper's New Monthly Magazine. It was the first appearance of any part of the great novel Moby Dick and became chapter 54 in the book. A publisher's note on page 659 says: "From The Whale, the title of a new work by Mr. Melville, now in the press of Harper and Brothers, and now publishing in London by Mr. Bentley." The chapter concerns a potential mutiny and the appearance of Moby Dick that thwarted the uprising. It was a first report of the white whale while at sea. The volume is bound in contemporary quarter brown leather with marbled paper boards and gilt titling to spine. Leather is soiled, scuffed and abraded in spots, but the binding is still sound. Light foxing on some pages:
Seller: Riverside Books and Prints, Cold Spring, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Contributions include the first appearance of any part of Melville's MOBY DICK - "The Town-Ho's Story," Chapter 54 of the novel. Illustrated with 171 engravings. First edition thus. Thick quarto, bound in decorated brown cloth with gilt lettering, marbled endpapers. Worn and frayed at the spine ends and corners, previous owner's name on front endpage and title page, occasional foxing throughout text block, else good. ; 864 pages B00LU5XE98
Seller: Grendel Books, ABAA/ILAB, Springfield, MA, U.S.A.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition. Contemporary 3/4 brown leather binding, raised bands and leather spine labels, with marbled boards. Large Octavo. Volume III of Harper's Magazine, June to November 1851. Includes first appearance of any part of Melville's classic nautical novel, Moby Dick. An attractive Very Good tight and solid appearing volume, with general shelf wear and mild rubbing to leather spine and boards, pages clean.
Seller: Babylon Revisited Rare Books, Northampton, MA, U.S.A.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Description: 1st Edition Clamshell Collector's Case. Custom Clamshell Case. No Binding. First Edition Clamshell Case for Melville's masterpiece MOBY DICK. Superb Custom Fitted Modern Collector's Clamshell Bookcase [Not A Book] HAND-CRAFTED by our conservation team, each box is Gilt-stamped at the spine. The case is finished in black Nuba® with a 'sculpted whale design and gold sides. Every TBCL case can be finished in a selection of fine leathers & cloths or Nuba® or a combination of both. Nuba® is a fine, supple & durable covering with a neutral ph that has the feel of velvety soft Italian Nubuck leather. This clamshell is perfectly sized to accommodate your first edition. A Terrific Collector's Custom Case for an important Book. TBCL Web Site photo/link available for OVER 100 generally in-stock titles. Custom Craft available upon request. "Book definitely NOT included" When you place your order: Please confirm the actual size of your first edition as sizes may vary with age. The text can be altered to add "signed" or other special requests.Sized to fit: 7.5"x5" x1.5".
Seller: TBCL The Book Collector's Library, Montreal, QC, Canada
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardcover. The "Town Ho's Story" appeared on pages 659-665 in the October 1851 issue of Harper's New Monthly Magazine. It was the first appearance of any part of the great novel Moby Dick and became chapter 54 in the book. A publisher's note on page 659 says: "From The Whale, the title of a new work by Mr. Melville, now in the press of Harper and Brothers, and now publishing in London by Mr. Bentley." The chapter concerns a potential mutiny and the appearance of Moby Dick that thwarted the uprising. It was a first report of the white whale while at sea. The volume is bound in modern black leatherette over cream paper covered boards with paper title labels to spine. Light wear to covers. Interior pages have occasional spots of foxing and browning. Very good condition. 864 pages. PER/031424.
Seller: The Kelmscott Bookshop, ABAA, Savage, MD, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick, Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Harper & Brothers, New York, 1851.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Description: This volume contains the first appearance of Moby Dick in print. This book measures approximately 9.75" x 6" with 864 numbered pages. Quarter-bound in leather with raised bands to the spine. This book is in very good minus condition. Moderate chipping and wear to the leather on the spine. Gilt lettering and design both still relatively well preserved. Heavy surface wear to the marbled paper boards. Paper loss to the extremities and corners. Previous owner's signature on endpaper and title page. Staining to rear endsheets. In this book is Herman Melville's "The Town-Ho's Story", in which the first mention of Moby Dick is made. This is the first appearance of any part of Moby Dick in print in America. "Moby Dick" went on to be published in its entirety the fall of 1851. Please view the many other rare titles available for purchase at our store. We are always interested in purchasing individual or collections of fine books. Inventory # (N3-9).
Seller: Ernestoic Books, Clarence, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Description: Half brown morocco leather with matching corners, marbled boards, and two gilt-lettered burgundy morocco spine labels; 864 pages. Illustrated with engravings. The first publication of any part of MOBY DICK. The eight-page excerpt is noted as being "From 'THE WHALE.' The title of a new work by Mr. Melville, in the press of Harper and Brothers, and now publishing in London by Mr. Bentley." Discoloration to the endpapers from the glue used in binding, contents very clean; covers tight and firm. Near Fine
Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. The Town Hos Story. Harper's New Monthly Magazine, 1851.
Price: US$540.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: (Moby Dick) The Town Hos Story by Herman Melville. Contains the first appearance of any part of Moby Dick. Publisher: Harpers New Monthly Magazine. Volume III June to November, 1851. Story appears on pages 658-665. This appearance later became Chapter 54 in Moby Dick. Binding is in very good condition with raised bands. Gutter cracked but binding tight. Boards are oversized for the book block suggesting it was bound to match a set. Some foxing, although appearance pages with minimal foxing. Protected by Mylar. Inventory #16-020. Price: $540. Language: eng Language: eng Language: eng
Seller: Discovery Bay Old Books ABAA, ILAB, Brentwood, CA, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. The Town Hos Story. Harpers New Monthly Magazine, New York, 1851.
Price: US$550.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: (Moby Dick) The Town Hos Story by Herman Melville. Contains the first appearance of any part of Moby Dick. Publisher: Harpers New Monthly Magazine. Volume III June to November, 1851. Story appears on pages 658-665. This appearance later became Chapter 54 in Moby Dick. Binding is in modern 3/4 leather with marbled paper and is in fine condition. Paper labels. Contents clean. Protected by Mylar. Inventory #15-413. Price: $550. Language: eng Language: eng Language: eng
Seller: Discovery Bay Old Books ABAA, ILAB, Brentwood, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$650.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Octavo. 864pp., illustrated with wood engravings. Publisher's decorative brown cloth stamped in gold and in blind. Both joints are lightly split (with both covers holding firm), wear at the edges of the boards and corners, small remnant of rubber band on back cover, else very good with moderate scattered foxing. Contains the eight-page "Town-Ho Story" first published in the October 1851 issue of Harper's New Monthly Magazine (pp. 658-665). Advertised at the foot of p. 658 as an excerpt "From âThe Whale.' The title of a new work by Mr. Melville, in the press of Harper and Brothers, and now publishing in London by Mr. Bentley." It would eventually become chapter 54 of *Moby-Dick*. Scarce in the original boards.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. [Moby Dick] in Harpers New Monthly Magazine. NY: Harper & Brothers, 1851.
Price: US$1850.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Very first appearance of Moby Dick in any form: Harpers New Monthly Magazine, No. XVII, October, 1851, Vol. III, the opening chapter of the classic, here entitled, The Town-Hos Story. Further explanation provided as, From The Whale, the title of a new work by Mr. Melville, in the press of Harper & Brothers, and now publishing in London by Mr. Bentley. Bound in its original brown buckram. A truly unique literary collectible.
Seller: Mystery Pier Books, Inc.,ABAA, ILAB, ABA, West Hollywood, CA, U.S.A.
MELVILLE, Herman. [MOBY DICK] HARPERS NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. NY: Harper & Brothers, (1851), 1851.
Price: US$1850.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Very first appearance of Moby Dick in any form: Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XVII, October, 1851, Vol. III, the opening chapter of the classic, here entitled, The Town-Ho's Story. Further explanation provided as, From 'The Whale,' the title of a new work by Mr. Melville, in the press of Harper & Brothers, and now publishing in London by Mr. Bentley. Beautifully presented in a custom designed heavy plexiglass free-standing, double-sided frame to enhance the display of this unique literary collectible.
Seller: Mystery Pier Books, Inc.,ABAA, ILAB, ABA, West Hollywood, CA, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick or the Whale. Harper & Brothers, Publishers, New York, 1851.
Price: US$15000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Original dark brown cloth with the circular publisher's device to the center, front and rear. Coated orange endpapers. The rear free endpaper has been sympathetically replaced. Six page of ads at the end. Rebacked with the original spine laid down. There is chipping at all edges of the original spine cloth. Much of the gilt lettering is still present. The corners show some repair. There is a 2" closed tear to the fore edge at one leaf, p. 123-124. There is some repair to the upper title, at the fore edge. The usual foxing, to varying degrees, is evident throughout. Rubbing to the rear endpapers. Very tight and without any names or bookplates. Contained in a new, lovely half-brown leather and cloth clamshell case. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; xxxiii, 634(1) pages
Seller: Scott Emerson Books, ABAA, El Cajon, CA, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. Harper & Brothers, New York, 1851.
Price: US$16103.29 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: [5], vi-xxiii, [2], 2-634pp, [8]. Original blue-green cloth, title, author and publisher in gilt to spine with publisher's circular blind stamp to centre of covers, orange endpapers. Rebacked, with original back strip laid down, gilt to spine has largely been retouched (ie. bands to head, title, and author). Back strip lightly stained. Internally lightly browned and lightly foxed throughout, but nothing too obtrusive. Housed in a very good morocco backed drop back box, made by Asprey & Garrard. BAL 13664 (noting a variety of cloth and endpaper colours) Size: 8vo
Seller: Temple Rare Books, Oxford, United Kingdom
MELVILLE, Herman. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. , 1851.
Price: US$18150.00 + shipping
Description: MELVILLE, Herman. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. Original blindstamped cloth. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851. First edition. BAL 13664, first binding, brown cloth with publisher's device. Grolier American, 60. A very good copy, professionally rebacked with spine in expert facsimile, bottom half of front endpaper professionally repaired; light scattered foxing, some pencil annotations in an early hand, else very good. Early owner's name on front free endpaper: "Caspar Shunk from `Will' Harrisburg 12 May 1857" and on verso of front free endpaper: "Mrs. Wm. F. Shunk, Pittsburg, June 1852. "Moby-Dick is the great conundrum book. Is it a profound allegory, with the white whale the embodiment of moral evil, or merely the finest story of the sea ever written? Whichever it is, now rediscovered, it stirs and stimulates each succeeding generation, whether reading it for pleasure or with a scalpel. Within its pages can be found the sounds and scents, the very flavor, of the maritime life of our whaling ancestors"--Grolier.
Seller: G.S. MacManus Co., ABAA, Bryn Mawr, PA, U.S.A.
MELVILLE, Herman. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. Harper & Brothers, New York, 1851.
Price: US$19500.00 + shipping
Description: Small 8vo. Original pebble-grained red cloth with gilt spine lettering and blind-embossed rules and front board publisher's device. xxiii, 635pp, (6pp ads). Very good. Internally tight and unrestored, showing only mild sporadic age toning and occasional light foxing; binding is sound and decent, with exposed tips; somewhat rough spine has had mild and discreet archival restoration; pencilled 1852 ownership signature on inner flyleaf. A tight, presentable and quite handleable first U.S. edition, first issue, of this giant of 19th century literature. One of only 3000 U.S. copies, the American edition (preceded by the 2-volume English version one month prior) met with little fanfare, and supposedly many unsold copies were destroyed in an 1854 warehouse fire. Original terra cotta endpapers. Despite wear this is a respectable copy, appropriately priced. Housed in a handsome custom red cloth clamshell case with gilt spine lettering. BAL 13664.
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.
MELVILLE, Herman.. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale.. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851, 1851.
Price: US$22544.60 + shipping
Description: First US edition of Melville's masterpiece. It is the first edition published under Melville's preferred title, Moby-Dick, the first edition published in a single volume, and the first to include the crucial epilogue and 35 further passages which were omitted from the slightly earlier British edition. To protect his international copyright, Melville originally had the work published in London four weeks earlier, in a three-volume edition entitled The Whale. Now universally acclaimed, the novel was at first a "complete practical failure, misunderstood by the critics and ignored by the public; and in 1853 the Harpers' fire destroyed the plates of all his books and most of the copies remaining in stock" (DAB, vol. XII, p. 523). "Moby-Dick is the great conundrum-book. Is it a profound allegory with the white whale the embodiment of moral evil, or merely the finest story of the sea ever written? Whichever it is, now rediscovered, it stirs and stimulates each succeeding generation, whether reading it for pleasure or with a scalpel. Within its pages can be found the sound and scents, the very flavor, of the maritime life of our whaling ancestors" (Grolier). BAL 13664; Grolier American 100, 60; Johnson High Spots 57. Octavo (179 x 113 mm). Early 20th-century red half morocco, green spine label, central floral device in compartments gilt, raised bands tooled in gilt and ruled in blind, floral gilt roll on spine foot, sides and corners with blind dog-tooth roll, marbled sides and edges, brown endpapers. Bound with publisher's 6-page adverts at end. Blank upper margin of title page sometime restored, presumably owing to an excised ownership inscription, occasional marks to text, faint tide marks to margins throughout, small paper flaw to upper outer corner of pp. 269/70, closed tear to epilogue leaf sometime neatly repaired with tape. A very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
MELVILLE, Herman (1819-1891). Moby Dick, or, The Whale. Harper & Brothers, New York, 1851.
Price: US$24000.00 + shipping
Description: (7 3/8 x 4 7/8 inches). xxiii, [1], 635, [1], [6]pp. Publisher's ads in the rear. Foxing. Publisher's red cloth, cover bordered in blind and with central Harper & Brother's circular stamp in blind, spine lettered in gilt, rebacked retaining the original spine, original brown/orange coated endpapers. Housed in a cloth box. Rare first American edition of arguably the greatest work in American literature. The first American edition followed the three-volume English edition by a month and contained some thirty-five passages which had been edited out of the English edition. "[Melville's] great book, Moby Dick, was a complete practical failure, misunderstood by the critics and ignored by the public; and in 1853 the Harpers' fire destroyed the plates of all of his books and most of the copies remaining in stock [only about sixty copies survived the fire] . Melville's permanent fame must always rest on the great prose epic of Moby Dick, a book that has no equal in American literature for variety and splendor of style and for depth of feeling" (Dictionary of American Biography). "Moby Dick is the great conundrum-book. Is it a profound allegory with the white whale the embodiment of moral evil, or merely the finest story of the sea ever written?" (Grolier, American). This example complete with the six pages of advertisements in the rear and in the publisher's red "A" cloth. BAL 13664; Grolier American 60; Johnson High Spots 57; Wright II:1701.
Seller: Donald A. Heald Rare Books (ABAA), New York, NY, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick; or, The Whale. Harper & Brothers, 1851.
Price: US$60000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: NO EQUAL IN AMERICAN LITERATURE -- FIRST EDITION OF MOBY-DICK IN ORIGINAL CLOTH MELVILLE, Herman. Moby Dick; or, The Whale. New York: Harper & Brothers. Octavo, original purple cloth. First American edition, in original cloth, of Melville s classic, arguably the greatest single work in American literature. One of the very few known copies with rare white endpapers. Melville s great book, Moby-Dick, was a complete practical failure, misunderstood by the critics and ignored by the public; and in 1853 the Harper s fire destroyed the plates of all of his books and most of the copies remaining in stock (only about 60 copies survived the fire). Melville s permanent fame must always rest on the great prose epic of Moby Dick, a book that has no equal in American literature for variety and splendor of style and for depth of feeling (DAB). With six pages of ads, covers blind-stamped with heavy rule frame and publisher s circular device at center, and double flyleaves at front and back. This copy a publisher s variant with rare white endpapers: A single copy has been seen with plain white wove endpapers (BAL 13664); also with two free flyleaves at rear (as called for) and one free flyleaf before the title page (two called for). This copy with the book label of Ariel S. Thurston, a judge and later State Assessor, in Elmira, New York, and of his descendant Charles Thurston. Judge Thurston apparently was a supporter of the Underground Railroad, caring for John W. Jones, who escaped slavery in and reached Elmira in 1844, then became one of the most famed conductors on the railroad, helping over 800 other slaves to freedom. Neat date inscription September 1855 in pencil on front free endpaper. Usual scattered light foxing. Spine ends with light expert restoration. Rare in any condition, this copy quite desirable overall and given provenance.
Seller: KR Books, Shady Side, MD, U.S.A.
MELVILLE, HERMAN.. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851, 1851.
Price: US$60000.00 + shipping
Description: First American Edition; preceded slightly by the English edition, although this edition has numerous additions to that text. Publisher's green cloth; stamped in gilt and in blind; first binding, although this cataloguer has never seen either of the later two bindings in the wild. Some fading and wear; foxed (as seems inevitable); faded contemporary owner's inscription on the front free endpaper; bookplate of author and collector Carolyn Wells. The final 50 or so leaves are marginally waterstained at the lower corners, far from any text; bottom corners of the three advertising leaves slightly chipped, likewise not near any printing. Overall, a good copy of a book often found repaired, rebacked, restored or otherwise suffering from previous owners' good or bad intentions. In a custom quarter-morocco clamshell box (corners frayed). All books described as first editions are first printings unless otherwise noted.
Seller: Peter L. Stern & Co., Inc, Newton, MA, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick; Or, The Whale.. Harper & Brothers, New York, 1851.
Price: US$65000.00 + shipping
Description: First edition, first issue binding, with the circular Harper's device of Melville's masterpiece. Octavo, original purple-brown cloth (BAL's A grain), covers stamped in blind with the publisher's circular device at the center within a heavy blind rule frame, original orange-coated endpapers. Of the 2,951 copies printed, 125 were review copies. About 1,500 sold in 11 days, but then sales slowed to less than 300 the next year. After two years copies of the first edition were still available, and almost 300 were destroyed in the 1853 fire of Harper's warehouse. In near fine condition with some of the usual light foxing and light shelfwear to the spine tips. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A completely unrestored example of this cornerstone. A superior example. Initially panned by critics and readers when published in 1851, "in the 20th century Moby Dick would be rediscovered and acknowledged as possibly the greatest of all American novels" (Chronology of American Literature). Arguably the greatest single work in American literature, Moby-Dick was initially âa complete practical failure, misunderstood by the critics and ignored by the public. Nevertheless, Melvilleâs permanent fame must always rest on the great prose epic of Moby-Dick, a book that has no equal in American literature for variety and splendor of style and for depth of feelingâ (DAB).
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick; or, the Whale. Harper and Brothers, New York, 1851.
Price: US$68000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First American edition of Melville's epic novel, in first issue binding and completely unrestored. In original gray cloth with publisher's device stamped in blind. xxiii, 635, [6 ads]. Very Good. Cloth lightly soiled and worn at the extremities, spine toned. Pages heavily foxed as common, owner details to front free endpaper, ink owner name to title page with offsetting to adjacent pages as well. Light, sporadic pencil notations to text, old unobtrusive tidemark to bottom margins A difficult, linguistically-innovative fever dream of a novel, which has been hailed as America's greatest contribution to world literature. Uncommon in the original publisher's binding and without any restoration; a beautiful example, housed in a custom chemise case. BAL 13664.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick or The Whale. Harper & Brothers, 1851.
Price: US$70000.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: This is a first edition, first printing of Herman Melville's iconic work, featuring the distinctive Harper's emblem on its octavo-sized, original purple-brown cloth binding, detailed with blind-stamped covers that showcase the publisher's logo encased in a bold, blind frame, and completed with original orange-coated endpapers. Out of the 2,951 copies initially printed, 125 were allocated for review purposes. The book saw a promising start with 1,500 copies selling within the first 11 days, but interest waned dramatically, with fewer than 300 copies sold in the following year. Even two years post-publication, first edition copies remained unsold, and nearly 300 were lost in the Harper's warehouse fire of 1853. This copy remains in near fine condition, untouched by restoration, and is presented in a clamshell case, marking it as an exceptional specimen of this literary milestone. Originally released in 1851 to lukewarm reviews and public indifference, "Moby-Dick" faced initial commercial failure. Critics and readers of the time failed to grasp its significance, relegating it to obscurity. However, the 20th century marked a dramatic shift in perception, with "Moby-Dick" being celebrated as perhaps the finest American novel ever written, lauded for its stylistic diversity, emotional depth, and unmatched narrative grandeur in American literature. Despite its initial reception, Melville's magnum opus, "Moby-Dick," has earned its place as an unparalleled achievement in the annals of American letters.
Seller: CratingWords, Weston, CT, U.S.A.
MELVILLE, Herman.. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale.. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851, 1851.
Price: US$86957.75 + shipping
Description: First US edition of Melville's greatest work, in the first issue binding (BAL's "A" state, with the publisher's device on the covers and orange endpapers), a very smart copy notably free from any of the usual foxing. The US edition was the first to appear under the familiar title and contains 35 passages and the epilogue omitted from the slightly earlier British edition. Moby-Dick was originally issued in London earlier the same year, set from the New York sheets and titled The Whale. Now universally acclaimed, at the time the novel was a "complete practical failure, misunderstood by the critics and ignored by the public; and in 1853 the Harpers' fire destroyed the plates of all his books and most of the copies remaining in stock" (DAB, vol. 12, p. 523). Copies in first issue bindings appear in black, blue, grey, green, purple-brown, red, and slate-coloured cloth, without any priority. As Sadleir notes, it was the custom of American publishers in the 1850s and 1860s to bind an edition in cloths of various colours, for the purpose of window display (see p. 221). BAL 13664; Grolier American 60; Johnson High Spots 57; Sadleir, Excursions in Victorian Bibliography, pp. 221 & 229. Octavo. Original purple-brown cloth, spine lettered in gilt with decorative gilt border at head and foot, thick one-line border and central publisher's life-buoy device to covers in blind, orange coated endpapers, 6 pp. publisher's advertisements at rear. Housed in a custom burgundy morocco folding box. Spine cocked, ends and corners lightly worn, cloth rubbed with faint stain to rear cover, short closed tear to head of rear joint, first gathering discreetly reinserted, gutter before final gathering tender, but holding, occasional light spot to contents, else clean and sound within. A very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom