Melville, Herman | The scarce first American edition

Melville, Herman

Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851

12mo. Six pages of publisher's advertisements at end; lighter foxing than often found. In original brown cloth, spine gilt lettered, boards stamped with central publisher's device, cream endpapers; cloth tear to upper joint, front joint weak but holding, worn at extremities with exposure, binding slightly loose at spine, with some loss and fraying at head and tail. In morocco-backed slipcase with folding chemise.

The first American edition of Melville's greatest achievement, this edition contains 35 passages and the "Epilogue" not present in the English first edition. It sold poorly and copies remained with the publisher. In 1853 a major fire destroyed the Harper & Brothers warehouse and with it some 297 copies of this volume; few, perhaps no more than 60 survived.

REFERENCE

BAL 13664; Grolier, American 60; Sadleir, Excursions 229

PROVENANCE

L.H. Conklin (bookplate to pastedown)