Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Herman Melville. Facsimile Dust Jacket ONLY Moby Dick. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$25.00 + shipping
Description: For sale is a brand new facsimile (reproduction) dust jacket for the 1930 1st Rockwell Kent Random House Edition of Moby Dick by Herman Melville. No book is included in this listing, however we may have the original book available for sale in our store under a different listing. Please view our other facsimile dust jackets being offered for sale. All jackets come in a brand new brodart mylar protective sleeve. We offer the highest quality and least expensive facsimile (reproduction) dust jackets currently available anywhere. Our jackets are beautifully crafted by a graphic design expert. These dust jackets are offered for research, archival, and preservation purposes. All jackets are labeled as facsimiles on the front or rear flap. Funding to be used for future acquisition and preservation of dust jacket art. Please check back often, as we plan on adding new jackets weekly.
Seller: Ernestoic Books, Clarence, NY, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick. Random House, 1930.
Price: US$130.00 + shipping
Condition: Poor
Description: Illustrated by Rockwell Kent. Poor. Black cloth boards with silver lettering and illustration. Some edgewear, general wear, rubbing, scratching. Rear board with soil, what appears to be red paint marks, slightly dented vertical line impression, large liquid mark and two ring impressions. Rolled spine with heavy wear, rubbing, soil. Two scrapes and cloth tear to spine (approx 1/8" and 3/8"). Edgewear, small tears, fray to spine tips. Front joints with cloth worn away, upper rear joint with small tear. Corners worn, bowed, small corner board exposure. Tanning and light soil to endpapers and pastedowns. Pencil notation to top of front end paper. Light tanning variations throughout text but otherwise good. Split to paper starting at bottom inside corner of rear pastedown. Weakened binding, but intact. Soil to text block edges.
Seller: Friends of Poughkeepsie Library, Poughkeepsie, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$171.26 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 822 Seiten, mit zahlreichen Abbildungen. Schutzumschlag fehlt, ansonsten tadelloses Exemplar. Sprache: Deutsch Gewicht in Gramm: 1950 (= The Modern Library of the World`s Best Books).
Seller: Antiquariat Neue Kritik, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Price: US$220.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo. xxxi, [1], 822, [6] pp., illus. As issued, in publisher's black cloth, lacking dust jacket. Binding rubbed and hinges a trifle loose; nevertheless, it presents fairly well. Contemporary gift inscription on the front free endpaper dated 1936, otherwise, internally clean. Three asterisks stamped beneath the imprint on the title page--a stamp seen on other, but not all copies of the Cassell edition, nevertheless likely from the publisher. This appears to be the first English edition, though the binding does not have the title stamped in gilt on the front cover as seen in other examples. Tanselle, in his A Checklist of Editions of Moby-Dick, 1851-1976, writes of the first, quarto edition of Kent's work: "The most elaborate physical presentation which had been accorded to Moby-Dick up to this time, and one of the finest examples of bookmaking to found among all the editions of his work. Kent's illustrations are now perhaps the best-known illustrations for Moby-Dick and are certainly among the most effective" (from Tanselle, No. 17). And indeed, Kent's illustration is singular and captured in this present Cassell edition (Tanselle, No. 18a) which was printed by the Lakeside Press, after a second or trade edition in a reduced-size, one-volume format (as here) was printed for Random House.
Seller: Michael Pyron, Bookseller, ABAA, Conshohocken, PA, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby DIck. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Description: The book measures approximately 7.25" x 5.5" with 822 numbered pages. Comes with a brand new facsimile (reproduction) dust jacket for protection and display. This book is in fair condition. Heavy chipping on both ends of spine and around all edges of boards. Heavy staining to all edges of textblock. Gift inscription and other notes to front endpaper and pastedown. Minor staining on rear pastedown. "Moby Dick or The Whale" by Herman Melville is told through the narrative of Ishmael a sailor on board a whaling ship whose captain is seeking vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant sperm whale who crippled him on the ship's previous voyage. This book was a commercial failure and out of print at the time of the authors death in 1891. Its reputation as a "Great American Novel" was established in the 20th century after the 1919 centennial of the authors birth. 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 #(L5-4).
Seller: Ernestoic Books, Clarence, NY, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$275.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Black Cloth Hardcover with silver gilt design and lettering. There is general wear to the exterior including fading to the silver design and lettering, hinges are worn and weak and corners bumped and light age toning to the inside pages due to age. This is the scarce first edition Random House classic. We ship fast. Email us for a photo.
Seller: Mountain Books, Kent, CT, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Description: The book measures approximately 7.25" x 5.5" with 822 numbered pages. Comes with a brand new facsimile (reproduction) dust jacket for protection and display. This book is in fair condition. Heavy tearing to both ends of spine. Heavy scuffing to entire spine. Moderate staining to all edges of textblock. Moderate staining to both boards. Top of spine has old glue repair to cloth and tape residue. Moderate staining to pastedown and endpapers. Rear hinge is cracked. "Moby Dick or The Whale" by Herman Melville is told through the narrative of Ishmael a sailor on board a whaling ship whose captain is seeking vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant sperm whale who crippled him on the ship's previous voyage. This book was a commercial failure and out of print at the time of the authors death in 1891. Its reputation as a "Great American Novel" was established in the 20th century after the 1919 centennial of the authors birth. 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 #(M4-20).
Seller: Ernestoic Books, Clarence, NY, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick or The Whale DJ. MODERN LIBRARY,RANDOM HOUSE, NEW YORK, 1930.
Price: US$325.00 + shipping
Description: YES, ILLUSTRATED BY ROCKWELL KENT DUST JACKET AND ILLUSTRATIONS THROUGH OUT TEXT Dust jacket is tattered and creased to various degrees, some small chip missing esp. at top and bottom of spine. Half moisture ring from cup on front cover. Further wear is being prevented by mylar cover. Spine and some edges are slightly yellowed from age. Gilt and green on spine and front. DATE PUBLISHED: 1930 EDITION: 821
Seller: Princeton Antiques Bookshop, Atlantic City, NJ, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick. Random House, 1930.
Price: US$395.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Fine Copy In Black Illustrated Boards. First Edition 1930. Gorgeous Fresh Copy. Ink Name.
Seller: Jeff Bergman Books ABAA, ILAB, Flemington, NJ, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Description: The book measures approximately 7.25" x 5.5" with 822 numbered pages. Comes with a brand new facsimile (reproduction) dust jacket for protection and display. This book is in good condition. Moderate bumping to both ends of spine. Moderate scuffing to both boards. Gift inscription on front endapper. Moderate foxing to pastedown and endpaper. Front hinge cracked exposing mesh on half title page. Moderate staining to all edges of textblock. Moderate foxing to rear pastedown and endpapers. "Moby Dick or The Whale" by Herman Melville is told through the narrative of Ishmael a sailor on board a whaling ship whose captain is seeking vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant sperm whale who crippled him on the ship's previous voyage. This book was a commercial failure and out of print at the time of the authors death in 1891. Its reputation as a "Great American Novel" was established in the 20th century after the 1919 centennial of the authors birth. 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 #(N6-204).
Seller: Ernestoic Books, Clarence, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 1930 Rockwell Kent illustrated Random House issue printed at the Lakeside Press. Short gift note to flyleaf and missing the jacket. Otherwise tight and unmarked in decorated boards. Please email for photos. Larger books or sets may require additional shipping charges. Books sent via US Postal
Seller: Griffin Books, Stamford, CT, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$425.00 + shipping
Description: Rockwell Kent illustrations. This book measures approximately 7.25" x 5.5" with 822 numbered pages. Comes with a brand new facsimile (reproduction) dust jacket for protection and display. This book is in very good condition. Moderate bumping to both ends of spine. Minor scuffing to spine and front board. Minor staining to all edges of textblock. Front hinge cracked no mesh exposed. Previous owner's handwriting on rear pastedown in pencil. Interior pages are bright and clean. "Moby Dick or The Whale" by Herman Melville is told through the narrative of Ishmael a sailor on board a whaling ship whose captain is seeking vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant sperm whale who crippled him on the ship's previous voyage. This book was a commercial failure and out of print at the time of the authors death in 1891. Its reputation as a "Great American Novel" was established in the 20th century after the 1919 centennial of the authors birth. 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 #(M9-2).
Seller: Ernestoic Books, Clarence, NY, U.S.A.
(Rockwell Kent) MELVILLE, Herman.. Moby Dick or The Whale.. Random House,, NY:, 1930.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition thus. Short tear to the cloth at the crown of the spine, moderate shelf wear and aging, previous owner's name and date (1930) on front free endpaper, else very good in black cloth with sliver lettering and design on the front board and spine. No dust jacket.; 825 pages
Seller: Grendel Books, ABAA/ILAB, Springfield, MA, U.S.A.
(Rockwell Kent) MELVILLE, Herman.. Moby Dick or The Whale.. Random House,, NY:, 1930.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Illustrated by Rockwell Kent. First edition thus. Moderate edge wear and aging, previous owner's name on front paste-down, else very good in black cloth with silver lettering and design on the spine and front board. No dust jacket.; 822 pages
Seller: Grendel Books, ABAA/ILAB, Springfield, MA, U.S.A.
MELVILLE, Herman; KENT, Rockwell (Illus.). Moby Dick or The Whale. Random House, 1930.
Price: US$499.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: 1930 Moby Dick Rockwell Kent ART 1ed Herman Melville Whaling Voyage Illustrated Moby Dick is perhaps the most famous sea adventure novel of the 19th-century. First appearing in periodicals, Herman Melvilles most famous work saw an initial mix of responses on its way to becoming one of the great American novels. The books rise to fame even caused authors like William Faulkner stating that he wished he had written the book himself. While the work itself is a story of hunting the great whale Moby Dick, it is written with themes regarding social class, good and evil, and the existence of God. This valuable 1930 American edition, or, the first Kent edition, was published by Random House and includes famous illustrations by the beloved artist, Rockwell Kent. The Kent illustrated editions are considered the best Moby Dick printings and are known to have helped propel Moby Dick to the classic status it holds today. Item number: #30741 Price: $499 MELVILLE, Herman; KENT, Rockwell (Illus.) Moby Dick or The Whale New York: Random House, 1930. First Edition. Details: Collation: Complete o xxxi, [1], 822, [6] o Numerous full-page and in-text illustrations throughout Language: English Binding: Hardcover; tight and secure o Decorative black cloth Size: ~ 7.25in X 5.5in (18.5cm x 14cm) Our Guarantee: Very Fast. Very Safe. Free Shipping Worldwide. Customer satisfaction is our priority! Notify us with 7 days of receiving, and we will offer a full refund without reservation! 30741 Photos available upon request.
Seller: Schilb Antiquarian, Columbia, MO, U.S.A.
Herman Melville, Illustrated by Rockwell Kent. Moby Dick. Random House, 1930.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First trade edition of Melville's classic novel with Rockwell Kent's striking artistic interpretation. One of the most iconic illustrated books of the twentieth century, Kent's background as a draughtsman and his love of maritime travel and adventure made him particularly well suited to take on the illustrations. New York: Random House, 1930. Original black boards with silver-stamped titles and design; pp. xxxii, 822, [6]. An about very good copy. Binding a touch shaken, but sturdy and square. Light shelfwear to boards with minor fraying at spine tips, silver stamping rubbed. Owner's bookplate to pastedown and signature to first blank, minor offsetting to endpapers, else internally clean. Protected in a removable archival sleeve.
Seller: Kevin Sell, The Rare Book Sleuth, IOBA, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman; Rockwell Kent. Moby Dick Or the Whale. Random House, E-342, E-333, 1930.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardcover. 8vo. Square. Published by Random House, New York. 1930. Xxxi, 822 pgs. Illustrated with Black and White Plates. Bound in black cloth with silver pictorial design on the spine and front cover. Boards have shelf-wear present to the extremities (boards are lightly faded and lightly chipped at the crown of the spine). Text is clean and free of marks. Binding tight and solid. Moby Dick looms large in America's literary consciousness and the style and philosophical content of Melville's 1851 epic was generations ahead of its time. Today the chronicle of a vengeful captain's obsessive, self-destructive search for a white whale ranks among the great American novels, and this volume does full justice to its preeminence. EB; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 822 pages
Seller: Last Exit Books, Charlottesville, VA, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick. Random House, 1930.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: black leather, gilt decorated binding. lightly rubbed cover and spine edges
Seller: RP BOOKS, Newport, NH, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman; Rockwell Kent [Illustrations]. Moby Dick. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition thus. xxxii, 822pp, [6]. Bound in publisher's original black cloth elaborately stamped in silver on the upper board and spine. Near Fine with silver stamping vivid and sharp. Bumped corners. Light foxing and soiling to textblock edges. Small bookshop inkless emboss on front front endpaper, contents lightly tanned with musty odor. A handsome copy of Melville's classic, illustrated by Rockwell Kent.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick, or the Whale. Random House, 1930.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 822p. With a script name penciled on front pastedown, pages are otherwise unmarked aside from occasional toning. Beautifully illustrated by Rockwell Kent in text throughout. Hinges feel like they are beginning to loosen. Black cloth boards illustrated in silver are moderately worn with rubbed edges, bit of scuffing to surface and residue stuck to front cover. Spine ends are bumped with fraying over crown. Does not include slipcase or dust jacket.
Seller: Chamblin Bookmine, Jacksonville, FL, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick or the Whale. Random House, 1930.
Price: US$650.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First trade edition of Moby Dick or the Whale , illustrated by Rockwell Kent. Published by Random House in 1930, Pictures available. Dj is also present and in Very Good condition with some slight chipping on the top of spine and corners. Name is neatly written on top of front free endpaper. The last photo shows the silver on the spine and cover which is pristine and not at all rubbed.
Seller: JWKBOOKS, Akron, OH, U.S.A.
MELVILLE, Herman. Moby Dick or The Whale. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First trade edition of this illustrated edition. Illustrated by Rockwell Kent. Light toning on the endpapers, cloth rubbed away in a couple of tiny spots at the spine ends, a very good copy lacking the dust jacket.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick. Random House, 1930.
Price: US$749.99 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 1930 Random House Edition Illustrated by Rockwell Kent. Published by Random House, 1930. Octavo. Black cloth boards stamped in silver. Signed and inscribed by artist Rockwell Kent on flyleaf, To Anna Rush by Rockwell Kent . Book is in good condition. Has moderate shelf/edge wear. Spotting to flyleafs. Silver whale and text to front boards has been mostly rubbed off. Has contemporary pencil notations on rear second to last page as well as some margin notations throughout. Has wear to board edges. Large rip/tear to front top corner. Some cloth fraying at edges/hinges. Lacking original dust jacket. Has a facsimile jacket included. A good copy of this landmark edition of Moby-Dick featuring the classic woodcut illustrations of Rockwell Kent, signed by Kent. 825 pages. 100% positive feedback. 30 day money back guarantee. NEXT DAY SHIPPING! Excellent customer service. Please email with any questions or if you would like a photo. All books packed carefully and ship with free delivery confirmation/tracking. All books come with free bookmarks. Ships from Southampton, New York.
Seller: Southampton Books, Southampton, NY, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick, or The Whale (Rockwell Kent illus.). Random House, 1930.
Price: US$850.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: The Random House 1930 production with the Rockwell Kent illustrations. There are condition issues with both the book and the dustjacket, all as described here. But we think accurately priced with those conditions in mind. The corners and spine ends of the binding are rubbed with a bit of loss, a 1' indentation at the top left of the front board, the rear board is bowed inward at the top, hinges firm, light glue residue offsetting. The dustjacket is complete although it's in three pieces; both flaps are present but separated from the panels. We've re-assembled the jacket in a Brodart, and it's almost presentable. There are chips at the top of the spine and one in the middle of the spine, slits along the rear gutter, very shallow chipping at other peripheries.
Seller: Dunaway Books, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick or The Whale. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$850.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Black cloth boards with silver title and whale particulars to spine and front cover, together with dustjacket wrapped in mylar. Dustjacket with losses to bottom of spine (see image). Previous owner's name, dated 1930, to front pastedown. A clean copy with no other names or markings. 5.5 x 7.5 in
Seller: William Chrisant & Sons, ABAA, ILAB. IOBA, ABA, Ephemera Society, Fort Lauderdale, FL, U.S.A.
MELVILLE, HERMAN. MOBY DICK : Or, The Whale. Random House, New York, USA, 1930.
Price: US$850.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First trade edition with the Rockwell Kent illustrations. Preceded by a scarce 3 volume limited edition published by the Lakeside Press, Chicago with the same 280 illustrations. A previous owner's gift inscription to front free end paper, small spots of soil to bottom page edges and a trace of rubbing to silver decorations are the only faults. Book has none of the usual rubbing to rails and no fraying or tears to spine ends as is common with this binding! Overall ,with faults mentioned, a NEAR FINE crisp, tightly bound volume. Enclosed in a NEW custom cloth covered slipcase ( 1/10) decorated with a supplied vintage original postcard "Man At Mast" by Rockwell Kent contemporary to this edition, inlaid and outlined in silver ; silver lettering. While unstated, the subject matter, the illustration and the date suggests to me that this illustration may have been created by Kent for the Lakeside and subsequent Random House editions, but was rejected by the publishers. However, that is pure speculation.It does make a beautiful and appropriate addition to the slipcase. 8 of 10 of these special cases have been sold with a book or to house a collector's copy. Only 10 have been constructed by our binder. A wonderful gift for the Melville or Kent enthusiast.
Seller: THE USUAL SUSPECTS (IOBA), St. Catharines, ON, Canada
MELVILLE, Herman. Moby Dick, or The Whale. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$950.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Illustrated throughout with lovely woodcuts by Rockwell Kent. 825 pages. Short very thick 8vo, handsomely rebound in full black morocco; silver-lettered spine. New York: Random House, 1930. First Kent edition. Fine.
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$1127.23 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: FIRST TRADE ROCKWELL KENT EDITION. 8vo. (7.4 x 5.8 inches). Illustrated by Rockwell Kent with woodcuts throughout the text, with full-page plates, chapter head- and tailpieces, other smaller cuts in the text. Finely bound in recent full black morocco, spine with five raised bands. Red title label. The compartments ruled, decorated and lettered in gilt. Single ruled gilt border on boards. Top edge gilt. Published in the same year by the Lakeside Press of Chicago in a large format, three-volume, limited edition, this trade edition proved immensely popular. It has been credited with contributing greatly to the rediscovery of Moby Dick as a classic. A fine copy.
Seller: Paul Foster. - ABA & PBFA Member., London, United Kingdom
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick or The Whale TATTERED DJ. RANDOM HOUSE, NY, 1930.
Price: US$1200.00 + shipping
Description: Book Condition: Good+, general edge wear, pages very lightly age toned. Dust Jacket Condition: Torn, creased edges, significant tears in spine/edges/flaps detached but present, rubbed cover, chipped corners. DATE PUBLISHED: 1930 EDITION: 822
Seller: Princeton Antiques Bookshop, Atlantic City, NJ, U.S.A.
Herman Melville / Rockwell Kent (ill). Moby Dick (in fine binding). Random House, 1930.
Price: US$1200.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville and illustrated by Rockwell Kent. Random House, NY. 1930 first thus Kent illustrated edition. Book in very good condition in fine binding: recent full black morocco binding with spine gilt with red labels, orig. cover bound it at front.
Seller: Neverland Books, waalre, Netherlands
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick or the Whale. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$1349.83 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Scarce with original dust jacket. Very nice copy of this classic illustrated by Rockwell Kent. The hardcover first edition is in very good plus condition, only some light wear to the silver gilt lettering and design, and light signs of age inside on on paper edges giving a vintage look. The bottom edge of the covers has light fraying to the cloth from shelf wear. The dust jacket is in mylar, has chips, creases, small paper loss in areas on the spine and the flaps are both missing. Overall book very good plus, scarce dust jacket is fair. Please email for photos. We ship fast.
Seller: Mountain Books, Kent, CT, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick or, the Whale. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$1350.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 822pgs Rebound in full blood red calf leather with gilt ship decorations, rulings on the front panel and spine.top edge gilt.Attractive marbled endpapers. Five raised bands. Neat previous owner inscription on the front blank preliminary page.Impressive illustrations by Rockwell Kent throughout the book. There is even toning to the pages, one of which has a closed tear, not an illustrated page. There is a scratch on the front panel, rubbing to the extremities, and a minor chip in the upper spine edge.The hinges are excellent. A wonderfully produced edition. Size: Octavo
Seller: The Chatham Bookseller, Madison, NJ, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick or the Whale. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$1400.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Very Good++/no dust jacket. Black cloth with silver lettering and designs, First Trade edition. Signed by Rockwell Kent on the free front endpaper. Light staining and browning to page ends. Light bumping to corners on head. Moderate edgewear. A very nice copy of this classic book.
Seller: Blue Moon Books, Stevens Point, WI, U.S.A.
Price: US$1417.09 + shipping
Description: First edition with these illustrations. Trade issue. Beautifully bound by Stephen Conway in full black leather with titles in gilt to the upper board and spine. Hand sewn endbands. All edges gilt. Original publisher's cloth bound in at the rear. With 272 woodcut illustrations throughout the text by Rockwell Kent. A fine copy, the binding square and firm, the contents clean and bright throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. First produced as a three volume limited Lakeside Press edition of 1,000 copies before being published as a one volume trade edition by Random House, Rockwell's stark, dramatic visual take on Moby Dick brought the (then relatively obscure) classic American novel firmly into the 20th century and quickly reinvigorated interest in Melville's work; the Rockwell edition is even now often hailed as the definitive Moby Dick. 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
Melville, Herman; Kent, Rockwell [Illustrator]. Moby Dick. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition thus. Near Fine with bump to top corner of boards, pages toned. Silver stamping rather bright and fresh, with just a hint of rubbing. Dust jacket with spine toned, a bit of chipping and loss, rubbed at folds, with tape and mending tissue repairs made from the verso with the front flap formerly completely detached and mended, else Very Good. A lovely example of Melville's classic illustrated by Rockwell Kent, uncommon with bright silver stamping and in the dust jacket.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition thus. Publisher's black cloth binding stamped in silver. Near Fine with the silver stamping very sharp and bright; bump to bottom corner of front boards, pages toned, rear endsheet soiled. In a Very Good dust jacket with toning to the spine and chipping to the spine ends with short splits starting at the joints, rubbing to flap folds with several tape reinforcements made to the verso. A lovely example of Melville's classic illustrated by Rockwell Kent, with bright silver stamping and in a descent dust jacket.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Herman Melville. Moby Dick. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition thus, with the iconic Rockwell Kent illustrations. Measures approximately 7.25" x 5.5" with 822 numbered pages. With its scarce original dust jacket. This book is in near fine condition. Minor surface wear and staining to the bottom edge of the textblock. Minor staining to the endsheets. The original dust jacket is in very good condition. Minor edgewear and staining to the panels. 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 #(N8-31).
Seller: Ernestoic Books, Clarence, NY, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick or The Whale LEATHER SPINE. RANDOM HOUSE, NEW YORK, 1930.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Illustrated throughout by Rockwell Kent, gold gilt lettering on spine, leather spine and corners, blue ribbon marker, gilt top fore edgetight binding, clean body and unmarked text. Light shelf wear, rubbed cover, and tanning fore edges. DATE PUBLISHED: 1930 EDITION: 822
Seller: Princeton Antiques Bookshop, Atlantic City, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$1600.00 + shipping
Description: signed by rockwell kent and previous owner (Florance or Horace Swan) on front end pape, Rockwell's signature is in ink previous owners is in pencil, front hinge cracking, shelf worn, numerous black and white illustrations, corners bumped, gilt on cover scuffed, gilt on spine almost completely rubbed off, pages clean DATE PUBLISHED: 1930 EDITION: 822 signed by rockwell kent and previous owner (Florance or Horace Swan).
Seller: Princeton Antiques Bookshop, Atlantic City, NJ, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick or the Whale. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$1849.77 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Dust jacket is in mylar and has age toning, nicks, and a piece missing on the top spine area. Email us for photos. Nice copy of this classic illustrated by Rockwell Kent. The hardcover first edition is in near fine condition, there is a previous owner's name and inscription dated December 1930. The silver gilt on this book is excellent. Please email for photos. We ship fast. Book is straight and tight. A impressive classic look and sure to keep it's value.
Seller: Mountain Books, Kent, CT, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman; Kent, Rockwell. MOBY DICK. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Description: First printing of the Rockwell-Kent illustrated trade edition, with Melville's name omitted from the front cover in lieu of Kent's, a work that many consider Kent's masterpiece. A fine balance of philosophy and comedy like DON QUIXOTE but with epic Miltonic undertones, MOBY DICK was not only Melville's most ambitious work to date, but became one of his biggest flops. By his death in 1891, the book was out of print, and would have to wait until the 1920s for a critical resurrection, one solidified in no small part by this edition, beautifully illustrated by Rockwell Kent. Approached in 1926 by R.R. Donnelly to illustrate a classic of American literature for his Lakeside Press, Kent (very much in need of money) gladly accepted the commission, but eschewed more obvious choices in favor of the still relatively unpopular MOBY DICK. It proved to be an astute choice. Kent's art deco-influenced images perfectly captured Melville's tone and the Lakeside edition promptly sold out. Random House then quickly brought out this trade edition which also proved enormously popular and helped cement both the book's reputation and popularity. An uncommonly nice example of arguably the best known edition of this American classic. 7" x 5.25" Original black cloth, stamped in silver with Kent-designed titles and art. In matching original dust jacket. xxxi, [1], 822, [6]pp, with 275 reproductions of Kent's illustrations. Book bright and clean, with gilt strong and just touches of shelfwear. Contemporary bookseller label to rear pastedown. Jacket lightly worn with spine toned and some tape reinforcement mostly to underside. Still, better than usually seen and presents well. Overall, sound and clean.
Seller: Type Punch Matrix, Silver Spring, MD, U.S.A.
Price: US$2300.00 + shipping
Description: The first trade edition of what is widely regarded as the definitive edition of Moby Dick. Indeed, if not for this particular edition it is likely no one would know this book today. Melville's great novel was not well received when published in 1851, and it (and he) languished in relative obscurity through the rest of the 19th century. Rockwell Kent was a superstar in the late 1920s world of fine illustrated editions. He produced these nearly 300 illustrations for a lavish edition that was printed in three volumes by The Lakeside Press in 1930. His inspiration came from his immersion in Melville's text as he worked over a period of years. The result was the closest thing to a Kent-Melville collaboration as was possible. Random House got permission to reprint Lakeside's Kent-illustrated edition, and this handsome single volume trade edition was the result. Kent's illustrations had generated a lot of attention, so this was a coup for the trade publisher. Their eagerness to reprint Kent's designs led to an embarrassing blunder, however, as Random House chief Bennett Cerf recalled: "We were so excited about it, we forgot to put Herman Melville's name on the cover, so our edition of Moby Dick, to the vast amusement of everybody (The New Yorker spotted it), said only: 'Moby Dick, illustrated by Rockwell Kent.'" (Cerf. At Random, p. 72). The accidental slight to Herman aside, Random House and Kent did a great job on this trade edition. Not only was Kent was a a brilliant illustrator, he was also a master at integrated design of the whole book. Everything about this edition is pleasing, from the superbly reproduced illustrations and the simple typography, to its agreeable heft and perfect fit in the hands. Its slight chunkiness even subtly evokes its subject. In short, this a great book in every sense--literarily, visually, and tactually. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Bound in black cloth over boards with titles and illustration stamped in silver on spine and upper board. Some shallow bumps at spine ends. Jacket has a bit of chipping at spine ends. Overall a much better copy than normally found. Hardcover. Duodecimo. xxxii, 825 pages
Seller: Back Creek Books LLC, ABAA/ILAB, Annapolis, MD, U.S.A.
Melville, Herman; Illustrated by Rockwell Kent. Moby Dick.. Random House, New York, 1930.
Price: US$2500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of Rockwell Kent's profusely illustrated edition of the great American novel. Octavo, original black cloth decorated in gilt, illustrated throughout by Rockwell Kent. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "For Ann Busby by Rockwell Kent." In very good condition. A bright 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). The artist Rockwell Kent did more than provide the illustrations for this landmark editionhe designed the entire book. "His energy, many-sided activities and preoccupation with integrated book design made him one of the best known American illustrators of his time" (Harthan, 247).
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$3640.00 + shipping
Description: 188 x 153 mm. (7 3/8 x 6"). xxxi, [i], 822, [6] pp. MEMORABLE WHITE TEXTURED MOROCCO, UPPER COVER WITH A REALISTIC EMERGENT PLASTIC EYEBALL, white morocco onlay forming upper and lower eyelids, gilt lettering on upper cover and spine. With more than 250 large and small woodcut illustrations by Rockwell Kent. Title and one other leaf with ink stamp of the Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, with call number in ballpoint pen. The Artist and the Book 140; Lewis, p. 145; Zigrosser, p. 62 (all citing deluxe edition). âFaint offsetting from illustrations, one leaf with small splash stain in margin, otherwise, a fine copy, the binding as new. This is the trade edition of an outstanding American illustrated book; at least as interestingly, it is a binding that brings us face-to-face with the eye of the elusive cetacean adversary at the center of the narrative of perhaps the greatest piece of American literature ever written. In "The 20th Century Book," John Lewis calls Kent's "Moby Dick" nothing short of "a stupendous piece of illustration." Lewis says that "there is a mystic streak that runs through [Kent's] work, enabling him, if not to match Melville's magnificent prose, at least to give some pictorial substance to this allegory." A painter and illustrator with transcendentalist and mystical tendencies, Rockwell Kent (1882-1971) spent much of his career living in, visiting, and producing images of rural or remote locations. His paintings of Maine, Alaska, Newfoundland, and Tierra del Fuego helped establish a reputation sufficient to encourage the publisher R. R. Donnelley to approach Kent in 1926 with the request to illustrate an edition of Richard Henry Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast." Kent suggested "Moby Dick" instead, the publisher wisely agreed, and when the limited edition appeared, it sold out immediately. This prompted demand for a trade edition, which also met with a warm reception. Although certainly not obscure, "Moby Dick" was surprisingly less well known at the time of our publication than it is today, and the popularity of the Kent illustrated edition was significant in reinforcing the novel as the classic it is now considered. The somewhat unsettling binding here is a visual manifestation of the "inscrutable malice" Ahab attributes to his nemesis, called by Day "the mysterious cause of man's involuntary fate, and the entity that resists and frustrates his conscious goals and endeavors.". First Trade Edition with these Illustrations.
Seller: Phillip J. Pirages Rare Books (ABAA), McMinnville, OR, U.S.A.
Price: US$3750.00 + shipping
Description: Thick octavo (18.5cm); black cloth, with titling and decorations stamped in silver on spine and front cover; dustjacket; xxxii,822,[8]pp; illus. Tipped onto the front endpaper is a drypoint illustration of a whaling ship at sea (measuring 5.25" x 6 6/8"), signed "Albert V. Sielke 30" in plate, and "A.V. Sielke 30" in pencil directly below. Base of spine gently nudged, else a fresh, Fine copy, with the decorative elements entirely unrubbed. Dustjacket shows some trivial wear, three tiny tears, and minute loss to upper corner tips, else a bright, fresh, copy, without toning or loss of color; Near Fine. First trade edition of Melville's novel illustrated by Rockwell Kent, following the three-volume Lakeside Press edition published the same year. One of the most iconic illustrated books of the 20th century, and a highpoint of Art Deco design and typography. A superior copy of a book that is almost always found well-worn. Tanselle, A Checklist of Editions of Moby Dick (1922-1951), No.18.
Seller: Captain Ahab's Rare Books, ABAA, Stephenson, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$4950.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Melville, Herman. Moby Dick. New York: Random House, 1930. Illustrated by Rockwell Kent. First Trade Edition with Kent Illustrations. Rebound in full leather. Housed in a matching custom archival slipcase.
Seller: The Great Republic, Colorado Springs, CO, U.S.A.