Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: New York: Harper & Brothers & Burgess, Stringer & Co., 1850. Here is an exceptional mid-Victorian omnibus containing five novels bound together; all are the First American Editions. Most prominent is the First American Edition of "Villette," by Charlotte Bronte. Large, heavy octavo; marbled paper-covered boards with leather spine and tips. The spine is ruled in gilt, and contains the simple title "Novels." The books are (1) "The Green Hand. A 'Short' Yarn," Harper, 1850, 162 pages, followed by six pages of ads. No author, but George Cupples (1822-1891); (2) "The Secret Passion," Burgess, Stringer & Co., 1848, 230 pages, followed by a one-page ad for "Shirley" and "Jane Eyre", no author, but Robert Folkstone Williams (1810?-1870?); (3) "Villette," published under Bronte's pen-name; Harper, 1853 - her third novel, praised by critics but considered unsuitable for women readers; 184 pages, followed by six pages of ads; (4) "The Fate", no author but George Payne Rainsford James (1799-1860), 130 pages, followed by two pages of ads; and (5) "Singleton Fontenoy, R.N." by Scottish novelist James Hannay (1827-1873), Harper, no date but 148 pages are followed by four pages of ads dated 1850. Rubbed at the margins; front hinge is cracking but holding nicely. Some spotting throughout, though the text is clean and easily readable today. . First American Edition. Half-Leather. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
Seller: Quercus Rare Books, Chico, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$950.00 + shipping
Description: First American edition, Harper & Brothers' 'Library of Select Novels' issue ("octavo edition in wrappers" printed in two columns), in publisher's boards. pp. [1]-2(ads), [3]-206 (followed by 18 pages of publisher's advertisements)[bound without original wrappers]. "SHIRLEY": 'LIBRARY OF SELECT NOVELS' ISSUE, IN ORIGINAL BOARDS. An elusive title in this Library of Select Novels issue; especially scarce in the publisher's "Library of Select Novels" boards. "Shirley. A Tale," was issued as No. 132 in the Harper's Library of Select Novels-- this copy is bound in contemporary quarter cloth and boards, in publisher's binding for the "Library of Select Novels" (with publisher's label on spine stating: "Select/ Novels/ Nov"). see Sadlier 348, for the English edition, published by Smith & Elder, as a triple-decker, in 1849]; Smith "Bronte Sisters" p. 171; Symington p. 41 Spine rubbed and moderately browned, with nick to cloth at tips of spine, early moderate soiling and wear to extremities of covers, verso of front and rear flyleaves quite darkened, small contemporary ink number at top edge of title page (in brown ink, in upper margin), two-inch closed tear to first leaf of ads (neatly archivally mended), early, very faint, light brown stain barely visible in lower margin of last few leaves, else a good to very good copy pp. [1]-2(ads), [3]-206 (followed by 18 pages of publisher's advertisements)[bound without original wrappers] First American edition, Harper & Brothers' 'Library of Select Novels' issue ("octavo edition in wrappers" printed in two columns), in publisher's boards.
Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.