Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Mark Twain. The Writings of Mark Twain (Definitive Edition). Gabriel Wells, New York, 1922.
Price: US$3750.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 35 volumes. 8vo. SIGNED edition. SIGNED by Mark Twain with his pen name and as Samuel Clemens, it is also SIGNED by the publisher. Deckled edges. Darkening to spines of all volumes. Fading and wear to spine labels. Edgewear throughout volumes. Slight fraying and bumping to upper spine ends of volumes. Light fraying and rubbing to bottom spine ends. Rubbing and fading to covers. Slight silverfishing to front cover of vol. 1 at joint. Small chip to upper front forecorner with scraping to rear forecorners of vol. 1. Slight loosening to spine of vol. 1. Small abrasions to spine label of vol. 2. Small abrasion to rear top edge of vol. 2 with scraping to upper forecorners. Light staining to front cover at top edge and near foredge with stains to rear cover at top edge and at joint of vol. 2. Scraping and rubbing to spine label of vol. 3. Marks to front cover of vol. 3. Scraping and light bumping to upper forecorners of vol. 3 with small abrasion to rear lower edge. Scraping to forecorners of vol. 4. Fading to spine label of vol. 4. Loosening to spine of vol. 4. Heavy rubbing to spine label of vol. 5. Slight loosening to spine of vol. 5. Small mark to rear cover of vol. 5 at bottom edge. Abrasion to rear foredge of vol. 6 with scraping and slight bumping to front forecorners and to lower rear forecorner. Heavier wear to spine label, with long abrasions and tear starting at bottom edge of spine label. Loosning to spine of vol. 6. Fading and scraping to spine label of vol. 7. Small scrapes to upper forecorners with large scrape to lower rear forecorner. Marks to rear cover and to front top edge of vol. 7. Loosening to spine of vol. 8. Scraping and rubbing to spine label of vol. 9. Small scrapes to forecorners of vol. 9. Spine label of vol. 10 becoming unglued at bottom edge. Scraping to rear forecornes of vol. 10. Scraping to front forecorners of vol. 11. Small marks to front cover of vol. 11. Loosening to spine of vol. 11. Scraping and slight bumping to forecorners of vol. 12. Loosening to spine of vol. 12. Heavier fading to spine label of volumes 12 and 13. Light marks to covers of vol. 14. Tears to spine label of vol. 15, spine label becoming unglued and detaching from spine. Tear to rear lower foredge of vol. 15 with scraping to front forecorners. Scrape to upper rear forecorner of vol. 17. Scraping to forecorners of vol. 18. Scrapes to upper foreconers of vol. 19. Abrasions and rubbing to rear cover of vol. 19. Small scrapes to forecorners of vol. 20. Scrapes to front forecornes and lower rear forecorner of vol. 21. Light scrapes to spine label of vol. 22. Abrasions to spine label of vol. 23. Loosening to spine of vol. 23. Scraping to forecorners of vol. 24. Scraping and slight bumping to forecorners of vol. 5. Scrape to upper rear forecorner of vol. 26. Loosening to spine of vol. 27. Scraping to lower forecorners of vol. 27. Abrasions to forecorners of vol. 28. Heavier rubbing to spine label of vol. 28. Sraping to lower forecorners of vol. 29. Mark to front cover of vol. 30. Scraping to upper forecorner of vol. 31. Spine label becoming detached from spine of vol. 31. Loosening to spine of vol. 31. Loosening to spine of vol. 33. Scrape to front upper forecorner and lower rear forecorner of vol. 33. Small abrasions to forecorners of vol. 34. Scraping and slight bumping to forecorners of vol. 35. Uncut leaves throughout volumes. Slight overopening to middle hinges of vol. 2. Upper hinges are tender of vol. 1. Cracking to hinge at pg. 116 of vol. 4. Stains to pgs. 51-73 of vol. 5. Slight cracking to hinges throughout vol. 5. Overopening thorughout vol. 6. Hinges are tender of vol. 7, slight cracking to upper hinges thoughout. Hinges are tender of vol. 8. Overopening to hinges underneath pasted pages of vol. 9. Hinges are tender of vol. 19. Tear to pg. 158 of vol. 21. Slight overopening thorughout vol. 22. Slight overopening throughout vol. 24. Slight overopening to middle hinges of vol. 25, hinges seem tender to overopening. Cracking to hinge at half-title of vol. 26. Slight cracking to hinge at pg. 56 of vol. 27 Slight overopening thorughout vol. 28. Cracking to hinge at half t.p. of vol. 33. Offsetting to t.p. of vol. 35. VG. THE SET:
Seller: Strand Book Store, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$4933.16 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Complete set of this best edition of the works of Mark Twain in 37 Volumes, published. 1922-25. Books are bound in the publishers half cloth with paper spine labels. Bindings are sound but labels are faded. Signed by Mark Twain in volume one and also by the publishers. A very nice set of this highly collectible item.
Seller: Mathias Schoen, Bremen, Germany
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: The Definitive Edition of the Works of Mark Twain. Published in 37 volumes -- this set is missing volume 8 (Tom Sawyer). Blue cloth spines with paper labels. Plain paper over boards. Bindings good and tight. The blue cloth on the spine is uniformly and evenly faded towards gray, as is usual with this set. A limited edition of 1024 sets. This one is numbered 917 on the special limitation page in the first volume. Flyleaf signed by Mark Twain with both Twain and Clemens names. Special insert bound in opposite states "This fly leaf as signed by Mark Twain in 1906 in anticipation of the present Definitive Edition of his work." The note is signed by Albert Bigelow Paine (Twain's biographer). There is some light foxing on the autograph page. A few of the paper spine labels are chipped and all are faded. Please email to see a photo. The Definitive Edition has a fascinating story behind it, starting with the collector Gabriel Wells. The signed sheets in this edition had been forgotten about until their discovery in the Harper & Co vaults. Well acquired those sheets as well as the right to publish the set (for which he paid $200,000). He used the illustrations from earlier editions, evidently without permission. He also arranged to published Paine's Biography of Twain as the final 2 volumes. Those final 2 volumes are dated 1925. Volumes 9-35 are dated 1923. The first 8 volumes are 1922. Extra shipping charges will apply for the full-shelf set. [bookseller's note to himself: the signed volume is in the vault.]
Seller: Riverby Books, Fredericksburg, VA, U.S.A.
Mark Twain. THE WRITINGS OF MARK TWAIN" L. E. S.. GABRIEL WELLS, NEW YORK, MCMXXII, 1922.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: This listing is for only 2 volumes of a multi-volume edition of the "WRITINGS OF MARK TWAIN", A Limited Edition Signed. Author's edition, vol.1 is signed Mark Twain and Samuel Clemons, Published by Gabriel Wells, New York, 1922, Two volumes but only volume 1 is signed by Mark Twain/S.L.Clemons and Albert Bigelow Paine. Vol. 1 and 2 just happen to be "Innocents Abroad." The condition is good. The obvious defects are shelf wear, loose interior inner hinges. The outside is sound and the paper labels are in tact. It is a nice 2 volume edition of "Innocents Abroad" signed twice by Mark Twain/S.L. Clemons and authenticated and signed by Albert Bigelow Paine. The set was published shortly after Twain's death, but he had already signed the front free flyleaf page twice in ink.
Seller: George's Books & Autographs, Memphis, TN, U.S.A.
Price: US$5175.00 + shipping
Description: 37 volumes. Frontispieces, illustr, 9 x 6, blue cloth backed boards, vp, covers rubbed and toned, extremities bumped and fraying, spines sunned, spine labels darkened, worn, chipped and stained, volume 1 with couple spots on front cover, hinges loose, contents edge toned but still a decent, usable set of Twain's Collected Works. LIMITED TO 1024 NUMBERED SETS, VOLUME ONE IS SIGNED BY ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE, ALSO WITH DOUBLE SIGNATURE OF MARK TWAIN / S.L. CLEMENS.
Seller: John K King Used & Rare Books, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.
Price: US$8793.39 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: This definitive edition consists of 1024 sets, the first volume of each bearing the original autograph signature of Mark Twain. This copy no.381. At flyleaf: ". signed by Mark Twain in 1906 in anticipation of the present definitive edition of his works." with the signature by Albert Bigelow Paine and the next tipped-in plate is signed by "SL. Clemens / Mark Twain. Vols.1-29 are Mark Twain's works, vols.30-33: Mark Twain: a biography by Albert Bigelow Paine, vols.34-35: Mark Twain's letters, arranged with comment by Paine, vols.36-37: Mark Twain's autobiography with an introduction by Paine. Uniformly bound in 3/4 red morocco and pink cloth, gilt title to spine, t.e.g. With a b/w frontis.and b/w plates (except for vols.36-37) to each vol. Ex-libris.(Melville Harris) to front flyleaf of each vol. 22.8x15.5cm. Upper edge of spine of some vols.slightly chipped. Some volumes of this set has small damages. For examples; Vol.3: Upper hinges of front board slightly torn. Vol.19: Frontis.misbound to the left and right reverse. Vol.25: A small red stain on front board. The title noted on spine misspeled ("The Writings of Mark Twain Vol.XXIV", instead of "Vol.XXV"). Vol.27: Lower margin of pp.121-122 missing. Vol.30 Margin of pp.379-380 torn and repaired. (contens as follows: Vols.1-2. The innocents abroad, or, The new pilgrim's progress; Vols.3-4. Roughing it; Vols.5-6. The gilded age / by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner; Vol.7. Sketches new and old; Vol. 8. The adventures of Tom Sawyer; Vols.9-10. A tramp abroad; Vol. 11. The prince and the pauper; Vol.12. Life on the Mississippi; Vol.13. The adventures of Huckleberry Finn; Vol.14. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court; Vol.15. The American claimant, and other stories and sketches; Vol.16. Pudd'head Wilson and those extraordinary twins; Vols.17-18. Personal recollections of Joan of Arc by the Sieur Louis de Conte [her page and secretary]. Freely Translated Out of the Ancient French Into Modern English from the Original Unpublished Manuscript in the National Archives of France by Jean François Alden; Vol.19. Tom Sawyer abroad, Tom Sawyer, detective, and other stories, etc., etc.; Vols.20-21. Following the equator; Vol.22. Literary essays; Vol.23. The man that corrupted Hadleyburg, and other essays and stories; Vol.24. The $30,000 bequest, and other stories; Vol.25. Christian Science with Notes Containing Corrections to Date; Vol.26. What is man? and other essays, with an appreciation by Brander Matthews, with an introduction by Albert Bigelow Paine; Vol.27. The mysterious stranger, and other stories; Vol.28. Mark Twain's speeches, with an introduction by Albert Bigelow Paine; Vol.29. Europe and elsewhere; Vols.30-33. Mark Twain: a biography. The Personal and Literary Life of Samul Langhorne Clemens. By Albert Bigelow Paine; Vols.34-35. Mark Twain's letters, arranged with comment by Albert Bigelow Paine; Vols.36-37. Mark Twain's autobiography.) [aj1412-102535]
Seller: Ogawa Tosho,Ltd. ABAJ, ILAB, Chiyoda-ku, TOKYO, Japan
Price: US$9800.00 + shipping
Description: The Definitive edition, one of 1024 numbered sets, with volume one signed by Mark Twain and Albert Bigelow Paine. The publisher states that Twain intended a definitive edition and signed 1024 single leaves in 1906 in anticipation of this edition. Octavo, 37 volumes, bound in three quarters morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine over marbled boards, each volume illustrated with frontispiece and plates. In very good condition. "To understand America, read Mark Twain. No matter what new craziness pops up in America, I find it described beforehand by him He was never innocent, at home or abroad" (Garry Wills). "High and fine literature is wine," Twain once wrote, "and mine is only water; but everybody likes water." This beautiful edition of Twain's complete novels, essays and sketches attests to the enduring popularity and power of his worksâ"many of which, despite their author's protestation to the contrary, have come to be regarded as among the finest vintage American literature offers. Among other classics, the set includes A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Life on the Mississippi, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
[Clemens, Samuel Langhorne]. The Writings of Mark Twain .. Gabriel Wells, New York, 1922.
Price: US$11000.00 + shipping
Description: Newell, Peter. The Definitive Edition, Number 684 of 1024 sets signed by Twain (as both "Mark Twain" & "S.L. Clemens") on a tipped in leaf. Portrait frontispiece portrait by W. H. Bicknell in volume I, plates by Peter Newell throughout. 37 vols. 8vo (9 x 6 inches; 230 x 155 mm). SIGNED. This edition is signed twice by Clemens -- under both his real and pen names. Clemens signed the fly-leaf in 1906 in anticipation of the definitive edition of his works. The statement to that effect is signed by the editor, Albert Bigelow Paine. Original quarter cloth and boards, paper spine labels. Fine, spine labels with some fading Portrait frontispiece portrait by W. H. Bicknell in volume I, plates by Peter Newell throughout. 37 vols. 8vo (9 x 6 inches; 230 x 155 mm) The Definitive Edition, Number 684 of 1024 sets signed by Twain (as both "Mark Twain" & "S.L. Clemens") on a tipped in leaf.
Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Twain Mark. The Writings. Gabriel Wells, New York, 1922.
Price: US$39850.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: New York, Gabriel Wells, 1922-25 octavo, 37 volumes, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, others untrimmed, frontispiece portrait and numerous illustrations throughout the set. Printed on specially made all rag Old Enfold Paper which bears the watermark "Samuel L Clemens - Mark Twain". Pages nice and clean. Finely bound by the Chelsea Bindery, London, in burgundy morocco, titles and decorations to spine, raised bands, rule to boards, signature to front boards, inner dentelles. Signed by Mark Twain. An exceptional fine and clean set in a spectacular full morocco binding. The Definitive Edition. Limited to 1024 sets, this is number 390. Signed in 1906 SL Clemens/Mark Twain in anticipation of this ultimate edition, as explained by the publishers announcement. The set includes the extra two volumes of Autobiography. It was Mark Twain's most cherished desire that a definitive and complete edition of his entire literary output be published. Whit this end in view, shortly before his death, he autographed with his signature 1024 sheets which would be inserted in the first volume of such an edition of his work, when it might appear. These autographed sheets were so carefully and hermetically preserved that their very existence was lost sight of, until quite recently, when an inventory disclosed them. This fortuitous discovery made possible the fulfilment of Mark Twain's ambition, a project which ever since he passed away, has been increasingly demanded by the public-an absolute complete, comprehensive, and definitive edition of his writings, his full biographical data, ably edited, finely printed and illustrated, and autographed by Mark Twain's own hand- taken from the publishers advert for the set. A very fine set in a spectacular full morocco binding!
Seller: Mundus Novus Galleries, St. George Brant, ON, Canada