Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Poems. Chapman, Brothers, London, 1847.
Price: US$232.85 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Hardback, original cloth. 19.5 x 13cm. vii, tipped in errata slip, 199pp, [1], 32pp of publishers ads dated May 1848. Spine discoloured, frayed to head and tail. Inner hinges re-inforced. Ex Rugby School library part of the Hodgson bequest with a label on the front pastedow, together with the engraved bookplate of Shadworth Holloway Hodgson. Previous owner's details on the first blank leaf. Contents clean.
Seller: Besleys Books PBFA, Diss, United Kingdom
EMERSON, Ralph Waldo.:. Poems.. Chapman, Brothers, 1847., 1847.
Price: US$381.62 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First Edition. 168pp. 12mo, pale green horizontal ribbed cloth, stamped in gilt and blind; recased and rebacked, the original spine chipped at head and foot but laid down, end-papers renewed but from old stock. Not the most elegant copy, a few leaves thumbed and dusty, but generally in very good state; errata slip at p.[1], Chapman's catalogue of September 1849 at end. Neatly written in a miniscule hand on about fifteen pages are an early reader's notes and comments, some substantial, all relevant and intelligent, a couple of them signed 'J.T.' - a mention of the Crimea dates them at about 1855. Precedes the American edition.
Seller: Charles Cox Rare Books , Bude, United Kingdom
Price: US$445.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: In contemporary, custom protective clamshell and quarter leather slipcase. Binding A (Myerson, A.18.1.a) Does not contain errata leaf that was tipped in to some copies but not all. CONDITION - Good to fair Quarter Leather Slipcase: Good Condition. Dark navy leather faded in places. Blue cloth covered boards are faded around the edges. One large boomerang-shaped scuff on cover and several other shelf wear marks overall. Couple places of chipping to the leather on the box spine. Spine design has four raised bands and beautifully embossed gold-colored lettering that is crisp, clean, and strikingly readable. Inner cloth-covered board shell: Good Condition. Blue cloth covered boards are sun faded in the area that faced out of the box. Attached cloth pull-ribbon is frayed on edges but remains easily usable for smooth removal of book out of box. Book: Fair Condition. Crack in the joint of the front cover and spine exposing the paper below. The cover remains securely attached but is starting to loosen. Several small tears in cloth over back cover joint at spine. Back cover also remains secure. Green cloth covered boards have faded over time to brown in some places. Spine and front cover are embossed with gold gilt designs and lettering. Gilt remains crisp, bright and nicely readable. Some bumping to corners, particularly bottom. Scuff marks and general age-soiling overall. Inside binding is fair to good. At page 48, the signature is cracked with complete exposure of hinges for the preceding section. Pages in this section remain securely bound. The rest of the binding is very good throughout. Several pencil marks. PROVENANCE This First British Edition of Emersons Poems once came from the personal library of Francis Joseph Hogan (1877-1944). His custom book plate is pasted inside the front cover. As written in "On the Scent" by Jennifer L. Behrens, in 1904, Hogan founded the law firm which became Hogan and Harston. Hogan built his legal reputation on successfully defending such high-profile clients as oil magnate Edward Doheny in the Teapot Dome Scandal (for which he was reportedly paid $1,000,000) and philanthropist Andrew Mellon in his tax fraud trial. Hogan began book collecting in 1931 amassing a collection that led Newsweek Magazine to write, Frank J. Hogan, Washingtons best-known trial lawyer, collects rare books, first editions, and the scalps of government attorneys. Upon his death, it was Hogans wish that his book collection be sold at auction. He felt selling the books at auction freed him from the harassment of people who had been pursuing him to try and get him to donate his collection to their institutions where they would remain on shelves. Of his book collection, Hogan said, I have felt profound happiness and satisfaction in possessing these precious monuments of human thought and progress. There is something sacred in the spiritual and intimate companionship of a book, and I do not deem it fitting that these friends of many happy hours should repose in unloved and soulless captivity. Rather, I would send them out into the world again to be the intimates of others whose loving hands and understanding hearts will fill the place left vacant by my passing. AN IRONIC POSSIBILITY Both British and American publishing records reveal several conflicting dates for the actual publication of this book (BAL 5210 and 5211). It is possible that this UK First Ed./First printing was printed a month before the American edition, making the first book-appearance of Emersons The Concord Hymn appear in England. (Ironic as the poem was about the April 19, 1775, Battle at the North Bridge in Concord when the Militia intentionally fired upon the Kings Troops). This might have pleased Emersons grandfather,Concords Patriot Minister William Emerson who was at the North Bridge during the battle, but perhaps not the English monarchy now ruling over a smaller Kingdom in 1847.
Seller: Barrow Bookstore, Concord, MA, U.S.A.
Ralph Waldo Emerson. Poems. Chapman, Brothers, London, 1847.
Price: US$472.50 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: With bound in errata, without ads at the rear, and with one blank at front and rear. The final published poem is, "Hymn. Sung at the Completion of Concord Monument, April 19, 1836," and contains the immortal line, ".and fired the shot heard round the world." Bound in half green boards and marbled paper with gilded lines. Five gently raised bands on spine with gilded desings and a red leather label will gilded lettering. Worn and rubbed at the edges and along hinges. Solid and square binding. All edges marbled, top edge a little darker. Marbled endpapers. Signatures from former owners in ink on first blank. A few minor spots internally (infrequent and marginal), overall a very clean, clear, and solid copy. With bound in errata, without ads at the rear, and with one blank at front and rear. Published prior to the U.S. edition. Pages:(8) 200 (2) Dimensions:7½ x 4¾ x (5/8).
Seller: John and Tabitha's Kerriosity Bookshop, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo.. Poems.. London: Chapman Brothers, 1847, 1847.
Price: US$650.00 + shipping
Description: London: Chapman Brothers, 1847. First English edition (Myerson A18, binding A). Original light green cloth, gilt lettered, decorated in gilt and blind, 200 pp., 24 pp. of publisher's ads in back, dated November 16. 1846. Without the errata leaf that was tipped into some copies. A presentation inscription from Chapman Brothers: "With the Publishers' Compliments". Precedes the first American edition by a few weeks. Spine darkened, wear at the ends; two inch closed tear at the top for edge of the spine.Cloth a little soiled, gilt bright. Three gatherings standing out a bit. Half-title and last page of the ads toned from the free endpapers. A Good copy.
Seller: Up-Country Letters, Gardnerville, NV, U.S.A.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Poems. Chapman, Brothers. London, 1847.
Price: US$1000.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Hardcover. vii + 200 + 24 page publisher's catalogue. Bound in pale green cloth with gold lettering. Edges of boards are faded towards gray. Spine strip is mostly missing. Only about an inch of the original gold-stamped spine remains at the top and bottom. Pale brown backing paper shows instead. Two sections of text (C and G) are slightly spring, but everything remains in one piece. Binding tight. The publisher's catalogue is dated November 16, 1846. There is an owner's name written on the front endpaper, Willm Hutton Inn. There is no errata slip (it is mentioned in descriptions of other editions & since Emerson never got a chance to check the proofs of this edition, there are several errors in the text). There is some foxing here and there, but the pages are mostly quite clean. This British Edition of Emerson's poems was issued before the American edition (by a few months). This copy, with the November ads in the back and lacking errata, is a very early issue. Please email with questions or to request photos.
Seller: Riverby Books, Fredericksburg, VA, U.S.A.