Montfort on front pastedown, with an ink signature of said owner on the front free endpaper, and 1931 pencil signatures on the following page. The boards are well browned, as is the text block marbling. This VG book has some slight wear to the covers, the leather shows minimal staining and wear consistent with age. With over 300 illustrations, originally sold by subscription only, this edition in the original subscriber's binding. Marbled boards in half-calf leather, 5 raised spine bands with all compartments gilt, with maroon and dark blue title plates. Charles Hotel' caption on P.443, and the uncorrected 'It It' On P. 1st edition, Blanck's Intermediate State A, with the illustration Of Twain in flames on p. 'Chapter XXXI is a completeshort story in itself and contains the firstfictional use of fingerprints as a means ofcriminal identification.'-Ellery Queen. Twainconsidered this work his masterpiece, and thefirst half of the book contains some of his mostpoetic prose about the subject he knew best andwhich served two years later as the setting forhis greatest novel. In 18,Webster issued more copies, and like Osgood beforehim went bankrupt soon after, leaving Twain withhuge debts that took a decade to pay. Healso acquired all of the brasses for stamping thebindings, and when he stamped the bindings used onthe unbound sheets he simply changed the imprintat the foot of the spine. Webster acquired Osgood'sinventory, including copies already in binding andunbound sheets, as well as the printing plates. When Twain started hisown publishing firm he put it in the hands of hisnephew, Charles Webster. The bookwas first published in 1883 by James R. This copy has the green floral endpapers that match A CONNECTICUT YANKEE rather thanthe plain gray end papers usually seen. Spine gilt alittle dull, mild rubbing, sampstain on rearcover, else a very good tight copy in the rarestform of issue. Webster, 1891.First edition, intermediate state A (with Twainpictured in flames), the rare Webster issue.Original brown pictorial cloth, gilt.

While there is an unsigned bookplate, the main point is this is a near fine copy of the first English edition and remarkably bright with just a bit of fading to spine and a couple of minute closed tear to head.

The day of publication was listed as April 28 though the three copies deposited were on May 17. The external evidence which Blanck cites as advertised on Apbut published on May 12. Note: While some state it was published several days before the American edition, it is clear that from internal evidence that it is the first English printing of the second state. Louis Hotel as well as the urn flames head of Mark Twain which Twain's wife had removed which she considered too morbid. Blanck 3411 notes that the first state has St. Charles Hotel as does the second state of the American edition. Endpapers printed in brown and leaf pattern. The English edition preceded the American.

Mark twain book life on the mississippi