LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 Feb Grand Format Book & Manuscript #682  / 

56447

Mark Twain. Following the Equator. A Journey

Currency:USD Category:Books / Antiquarian & Collectible Start Price:600.00 USD Estimated At:1,250.00 - 1,750.00 USD
Mark Twain. Following the Equator. A Journey
<B>Mark Twain. </B></I><B><I>Following the Equator</B></I></B></I><B>.</B></I> A Journey Around the World. Hartford, Connecticut: The American Publishing Company, 1897. <BR>Original salesman's dummy, or publisher's prospectus, for the first edition. Octavo (9 x 5.875 inches). [114] pages (including initial blank), consisting of sample pages and plates, followed by four pages of publisher's description ("Mark Twain's New Book of Travel, 'Following the Equator.' Another 'Innocents Abroad.') printed in red and black, and thirty-two unnumbered ruled pages for recording subscriber's names. Photogravure frontispiece portrait. This dummy has the single (Hartford) imprint on the title-page.<BR><BR>Bound in the publisher's blue cloth first edition binding color with pictorial gilt onlay on front cover designed by F. Berkeley Smith. The design for the backstrip of the cloth binding is stamped in gilt in the center of the back cover. Backstrips for the (red) "Library Style, Calf Effect" and (brown) "Half Morocco" bindings are affixed to the front pastedown, with the usual offsetting to the front free endpaper and front flyleaf. Light rubbing to corners, spine extremities, and pictorial onlay on front cover, a few small areas of slight discoloration to cloth, front hinge cracked, but sound. Some occasional minor thumbsoiling. Short tear to upper blank margin of one leaf. A very good copy.<BR><BR>The front free endpaper is printed in red: "The Bindings. THE material used in the several bindings is the best and has been most carefully selected. The COVER DESIGNS were made by F. BERKELEY SMITH especially for the cloth binding, and are appropriate and very effective. The Library style is something new. The effect of the long grain leather back and highly polished sides is very striking, and those who require in their bindings durability, simplicity, and richness will be especially pleased with it. The Half Morocco binding makes a very handsome volume, and a beautiful gift book. Genuine Turkey Morocco is used, and its grain slightly crushed and polished. This style, while more expensive than the others, is still comparatively the most reasonable, and full value is given the purchaser."<BR><BR>"The prospectus for the trade edition issued by the publisher included material by Mark Twain regarding the book itself. There is also a picture of Mark Twain and his family aboard a steamer at Seattle; neither were republished in the book" (Johnson, <I>Twain</B></I>).<BR><BR>See BAL 3451. Johnson, <I>Twain</B></I>, p. 68.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Books & Catalogs (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
Sign In to Bookmark Lot