Books

First US edition, first printing, of one of the great classics of both American and children's literature, an exceptional, bright copy. This copy has the relevant first printing points: at p. 9 the misprint "Decided" for "Decides", at p. 13 the erroneous page reference "88" for the plate "Him and Another Man", and at p. 57, line 23, the misprint "with the was" for "with the saw". These are the only points to distinguish between the first two printings; other textual variants between copies are due to the use of multiple plates and have no relevance for priority. This copy has the first state frontispiece with the tablecloth visible and unsigned on the finished edge of the bust, the second state title leaf with altered copyright page (as always save for advance copies; here integral, also found as a cancel - copies already sewn had a leaf cancelled, those unsewn with the gathering replaced), and pages 283/4 with the later state emended illustration of Uncle Silas (as always with cloth copies; here integral, also found as a cancel, ditto as before). These points do not have bearing on the priority of issue, nor does the binding (other copies being bound in leather, and in blue cloth), with the whole of the first and second printings issued on the same day in February 1885. The UK edition was published first, for copyright reasons, in December 1884. Square octavo. Original green pictorial cloth blocked in black and gilt, spine and front cover lettered in gilt and black. Housed in a custom green morocco-entry slipcase and cloth jacket. Photogravure frontispiece of Karl Gerhardt's portrait bust of Clemens, 173 text illustrations after E. W. Kemble. Leather bookplate of George Staehle to the front pastedown, penciled ownership signature dated 1898 to the front free endpaper. Other than very minor peripheral wear a bright, fresh, and square copy, cloth and contents clean, joints and hinges intact. BAL 3415; Grolier, 100 American, 87; Johnson, pp. 43-50; Kevin MacDonnell, "Huck Finn among the Issue-Mongers", Firsts; The Book Collector's Magazine, Volume 8, Number 9 (September 1998), pp. 28-35.

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is a classic American novel written by Mark Twain, published in 1884. Set in the pre-Civil War South, the story is narrated by Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, a teenage boy who runs away from his abusive father. Huck befriends Jim, an escaped slave, and together they embark on a journey down the Mississippi River on a raft. The novel begins with Huck living with the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, who attempt to civilize him. However, Huck is uncomfortable with their rules and restrictions, so he fakes his own death and escapes to the river. There, he encounters Jim, who is also running away, and they form an unlikely bond. As they travel down the river, Huck and Jim face numerous adventures and challenges. They meet a pair of con artists, the Duke and the Dauphin, who join them on the raft. The Duke and the Dauphin create chaos wherever they go, and their schemes expose the hypocrisy and moral decay of society. One of the central themes of the novel is Huck's moral growth and his struggle with societal values. He grapples with the idea of helping Jim escape to freedom, which goes against the prevailing views on race and slavery at the time. Despite the prevailing racist attitudes of the society he comes from, Huck comes to see Jim as a friend and a human being deserving of freedom. The novel is known for its satirical portrayal of the antebellum South, its critique of societal norms, and its exploration of moral and ethical dilemmas. It's also celebrated for its use of the Southern dialect and its depiction of Huck's inner conflict as he navigates the complexities of right and wrong. As the story progresses, Huck and Jim's friendship deepens, and Huck faces a moral crisis when he learns that Jim is going to be sold back into slavery. Huck decides to help Jim, even if it means defying the law and the moral code of the society he comes from. In the end, the novel concludes with Huck rejecting civilization and deciding to strike out on his own, stating that he will "light out for the Territory ahead of the rest" to avoid being "sivilized." This open-ended conclusion leaves readers to ponder the implications of Huck's decision and the broader commentary on societal norms and individual conscience that Mark Twain weaves throughout the narrative.