Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$150.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Volumes 1 & 2 included. Volume 1 is worn, lightly scuffed, with traces of blue stains on the front cover. Spine is shaken, but binding is secure. Textblock is foxed and yellowed with pencil markings on the inside cover. Inside is otherwise clean and unmarked. Volume 2 is worn, lightly scuffed, with traces of blue stains on the front cover, slightly worse than volume 1. Spine is shaken, but binding is secure. Textblock is foxed and yellowed with pencil markings on the inside cover. Inside is otherwise clean and unmarked.
Seller: Moe's Books, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$195.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Quartos, pictorial wrappers Produced from 1919-1920, and issued fortnightly, this is the first appearance of his remarkable work. Parts 1 & 2 are rough, the remaining issues are very good - fine, with all covers present. In a breaking red cloth drop-spine, clamshell box. " I have been asked a couple of times why I am reading an out-of-date historical work. The last revision to the Outline in Wells lifetime was published in 1937. Later, Raymond Postgate updated it, trying to preserve the voice of Wells (which I think he did a fine job of); and Wells son, G.P. Wells, updated the final edition in 1971. It appears that since the last update in 1971, more has been added to our understanding of history than overturned. Mostly, Wells was timeless in the unique way he chose to outline and summarize happenings and, more importantly, ideas, for he believed that "all human history is fundamentally a history of ideas." - bookburningservice. The book proposed a new kind of history text book, underplaying the rivalry between nation states that Wells felt had contributed to the outbreak of the First World War. Note: in the process of selecting THE BEST BOOKS OF OUR TIME (1928), this work "received more votes than any other title in the referendum conducted by the 'International Book Review' to determine the ten best books of the Twentieth Century."
Seller: Thomas J. Joyce And Company, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First Edition. Complete in 24 issues. Published fortnightly by George Newnes from late 1919 through October 1920. All issues in good/good+ condition, showing general wear, light dust smudging to back covers, a few small closed tears at edges. Wire stitched bindings remain firm and fully intact; text is clean throughout issues, photos and illustrations (including covers) remain bright and bold; previous owner pencil inscription on back cover of several issues. The first appearance of Wells' chronicle of humanity's history from origins to WWI, which would go through several expansions and revisions in later years. Due to the size/weight of this set extra charges may apply for international shipping. Not available for priority/expedited shipping. Ships from Dinkytown in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Seller: Book House in Dinkytown, IOBA, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.
WELLS, H.G.. Outline of History, The. London: George Newnes Limited, 1919, 1919.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Description: The Outline of History by H.G. Wells in the Original Twenty-Four Parts A Good Set in the Original Color Illustrated Wrappers WELLS, H.G. The Outline of History. Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind. Written with the Advice and Editorial Help of Mr. Ernest Barker, Sir H. H. Johnston, Sir E. Ray Lankester, and Professor Gilbert Murray. London: George Newnes Limited, [1919-1920]. First edition. Twenty-four quarto parts (11x 8 1/2 inches; 280 x 216 mm.). 780 continuous pp. Publisher's wrappers printed in full color. Forty-seven color and miscellaneous black & white illustrations throughout by J.F. Horrabin. Original pictorial publisher's notice affixed to upper wrapper of volume 15 to announce a price increase for the subsequent issues. Approximately one third of the front wrapper of volume VI neatly excised, loss to upper corner of upper wrapper to volume XVII, pencil under-linings and marginal notes in some volumes. Some wear to a few spines, nonetheless, a good example, scarce in the original parts. Chemised in a full black morocco slipcase with gilt lettering and rules, with a bit of wear to edges. Published every two weeks from November 1919 - November 1920, Wells' intent was neatly summarized in his subtitle. He was not happy with the quality of history textbooks prior to his writing and strove to create an enduring text that would illustrate the progress of mankind and civilization as a Darwinian continuum. His theme was that education would be the salvation of mankind: "Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe" he declared in the text, the catastrophe being another horrific conflict like the horrific World War which had ended a short time prior, and the recent Russian revolution, which as a socialist he was sympathetic to but had become disillusioned with after visiting the Soviet Union. The serial was an immediate popular success, so much so that the publisher, using the sheets from parts I-XII, issued a hardcover edition in July of 1920 and a second volume, comprised of the sheets of parts XII-XXIV, in November of the same year. This two volume hardcover edition was a massive best seller, later revised, and often reprinted. In this, its fragile, original multi-part state with fine cover illustrations by various artists, it remains scarce. Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) was an English writer. Prolific in many genres, he wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, history, popular science, satire, biography, and autobiography. Wells' science fiction novels are so well regarded that he has been called the "father of science fiction". James Francis "Frank" Horrabin (1884-1962) was an English socialist and for some time Communist radical writer and cartoonist. For two years he was Labour Member of Parliament for Peterborough. He attempted to construct a socialist geography and was an associate of David Low and George Orwell. In 1919 he created The Adventures of the Noah Family in The Daily News, originally a daily panel cartoon, later a continuing four-panel comic strip. It featured a suburban family who shared their names with the Biblical Noah and his sons, who lived at "The Ark", Ararat Avenue with their pet bear cub, Happy. The strip continued into the 1940s, in the News Chronicle after 1930, and was collected into several hard back books, most notably the Japhet and Happy Annuals and Summer Books between 1932 and 1952, and had a fan club, The Arkubs. He illustrated H. G. Wells' The Outline of History in 1920. In 1922 he created Dot and Carrie, a strip about two office workers, for The Star, which continued until 1962, moving to the Evening News in 1960. Hammond E18. Wells 70(n).
Seller: David Brass Rare Books, Inc., Calabasas, CA, U.S.A.
Wells, H.G.. THE OUTLINE OF HISTORY [in 24 fortnightly parts]. , 1919.
Price: US$875.00 + shipping
Description: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind. London: George Newnes, [Nov 1919 - Nov 1920]. Original color pictorial wrappers. First Appearance of this grandiose work, in the 24 fortnightly wrappered parts as originally issued. [Wells] and his friends on the League of Nations committee had discussed textbooks and methods of education, as a way of preventing further wars, but. they refused, on the grounds of lack of time, lack of formal preparation, and unwillingness to give the effort. Wells decided that he must do it himself. He and Jane agreed to take a year to research, formulate, and write a book designed to replace the histories then available. It was a remarkable gamble. The income from Wells's past writing would inevitably dry up during such a year. The boys were still at school and in university, [and] Wells was responsible for the care and education of his child by Rebecca West. So, late in 1918, about Christmas, H.G. and Jane sat down to begin work on what would be one of the more significant and widely read books of our century, THE OUTLINE OF HISTORY. As we look back on the OUTLINE today, it is clear that the work made a number of significant contributions to our understanding of the past. Some of these were revolutionary enough still to strike chords of admiration, and, one supposes, discords of fear and hatred. Their impact on Wells himself was immense, and much of his later writing. are imbued with his historical findings" [Smith]. A complete set includes 47 color plates (two in each part except one in the 13th), one of which is usually reproduced as the cover illustration. Part 12 includes the slip for having the first half of THE OUTLINE bound up, and Part 15 has the front-cover slip citing the price increase. These parts were issued in considerable numbers, but buyers were urged (by ads on some of the issues' rear cover) to have them bound up in two volumes for posterity; those that were not so bound seldom survive in collectible condition today. This, however, is a near-fine set, with scarcely any of the usual wear to the delicate spines -- thus, a scarce set in this condition. Wells Soc. 70 (note); Hammond E18 (note). Housed in a simple but sturdy cloth case that has gilt lettering on its cover rather than on its spine.
Seller: Sumner & Stillman [ABAA], Yarmouth, ME, U.S.A.
Price: US$975.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of the original parts of Wells' classic work. Quarto, original wrappers, 12 volumes, with full-color covers and many illustrations in color throughout. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom case. The Outline of History, subtitled either "The Whole Story of Man" or "Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind", is a work by H. G. Wells chronicling the history of the world from the origin of the Earth to the First World War. It appeared in an illustrated version of 24 fortnightly installments beginning on 22 November 1919 and was published as a single volume in 1920. It sold more than two million copies, was translated into many languages, and had a considerable impact on the teaching of history in institutions of higher education. Wells modeled the Outline on the Encyclopà die of Denis Diderot.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of the original parts of Wells' classic work. Quarto, original wrappers, 12 volumes, with full-color covers and many illustrations in color throughout. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. The Outline of History, subtitled either "The Whole Story of Man" or "Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind", is a work by H. G. Wells chronicling the history of the world from the origin of the Earth to the First World War. It appeared in an illustrated version of 24 fortnightly installments beginning on 22 November 1919 and was published as a single volume in 1920. It sold more than two million copies, was translated into many languages, and had a considerable impact on the teaching of history in institutions of higher education. Wells modeled the Outline on the Encyclopà die of Denis Diderot.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$1545.92 + shipping
Description: 2 vols in 24 parts, roy. 8vo., First Edition, with coloured frontispieces and very numerous coloured and monochrome illustrations and diagrams throughout; original pictorial wrappers, wire-stitched as issued, wrappers mildly age-marked and soiled else a remarkably well-preserved set, the whole housed in custom-made cloth solander case with paper labels. VERY SCARCE IN THIS CONDITION. Wells, 70.
Seller: Island Books, Thakeham, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Price: US$1650.00 + shipping
Description: First edition, in parts. Illustrated by J.F. Horrabin. 24 vols. 4to. In the Original Parts, Fine. Arents p. 76 Each part with original wrappers. Some creasing to cover of Part 1, the rest slightly rubbed, else fine in half blue morocco slipcase and chemise Illustrated by J.F. Horrabin. 24 vols. 4to
Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$1750.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of the complete set in the original 24 magazine-format parts. A massive work running to a million words. These are the original issues, each bound in colorful pictorial paperwraps. Save for the staples rusting, the set is very good to near fine. Housed in very good custom green cloth-covered slipcase with chemise.
Seller: Quill & Brush, member ABAA, Middletown, MD, U.S.A.