MARK TWAIN THE INNOCENTS ABROAD 1869 1st Ed Leather Binding Restored + Slipcase

Description: THE INNOCENTS ABROAD Written by Mark Twain and published by the American Publishing Company of Hartford, Connecticut; copyright 1869. This is the first edition printed in 1869. This copy has the special dual San Francisco and Hartford imprint on the title page which is considered a special imprint, but was included as a variant in every printing in 1869. It is a first edition, but in a later state--most likely the third as page 643 is correctly headed with Chapter LXI instead of XLI. It has the page reference numbers present on pages vii-xviii and Napoleon III’s portrait is present on page 129. Still, as a leather binding it is far more rare than the cloth ones. Bound in what the publisher described as “Turkey Morocco,” it is actually a full sheep leather with black spine labels. Not only were far fewer books bound in this style, but the softness of the sheep leather and acidic tanning processes used insure that the vast majority of these books still in existence are in terrible shape. A new slipcase was custom made for this book of acid free binders board, leather and marbled book cloth. THE INNOCENTS ABROAD is Twain's 1869 first-person, semi-fictional travel narrative of his steamship journey to Europe and the Middle East in 1867. He was sent all expenses paid by the Alta California newspaper on a "Great Pleasure Excursion" on board the chartered vessel Quaker City through Europe and the Holy Land with a group of American travelers. He wrote 53 travel letters for the paper (about half of which were published) and later combined them into this book with urging from the managing director of the American Publishing Company, Elisha Bliss. It became the best selling of Twain's works during his lifetime and one of the best selling travel books of all time. His first success, it was his first subscription book and 2nd published book. This book made Mark Twain a wealthy man. It helped convince Clemens that selling “subscription” books, sold door-to-door by salesmen and not in bookshops, was the best method for an author to make money. Twain says of this book that it is a record of a “pleasure-trip”...the record of a “pic-nic” but with the real purpose being to suggest to the reader how he would be likely to see Europe and the East if he looked at them with his own eyes instead of the eyes of those who travelled in those countries before him. Twain makes no apologies for “departures from the usual style of travel-writing that may be charged against me” for he notes that he sees with impartial eyes, and writes honestly, whether wisely or not. Like all of Twain’s early subscription books, this one is heavily illustrated. There are 234 of them! They truly add to the story and are humorous in their own right. DESCRIPTION: 9 x 6 inches---651 pages + 5 pages of ads first edition sheep leather binding CONDITION: This book is in very good condition with some restoration. This book has been rebound and recased into a new full leather binding with the old sheep leather panels and spine labels from the original book laid back on. Although the book has new brown paper endpapers, the original endpapers were laid down over the pastedown. Some of the page edges at the front of the book and end of the book were tattered and have had some restoration or reinforcement at the edges. All work was done conservatively with no use of acidic papers or tape. There is a faint watermark or tideline in the lower corner of most pages—I have provided many pictures of the paper and pages so you can see what this looks like. Page xvii/xviii has had tears repaired. The paper itself is about average for this issue as far as acid toning (mild), foxing and smudges. All pages, illustrations, plates, advertisements, endpapers, etc. are present with the book. While not a first printing this is a very nice copy. The book has the two full page frontispiece illustrations and thirteen other full page illustrations with the text--as called for. This book is all original, but has been rebound and recased into a new leather cover with the original leather panels and labels laid back on. Unfortunately, Mark Twain’s books that were published by his subscription publisher, American Publishing Company, while lavishly illustrated and looking rather imposing when new, were actually very cheaply bound. Fine copies of Twain’s early books by this publisher are rare. He was by far the most famous American author of the time and most copies of this book are well read and passed around; falling apart, faded, tattered and missing pieces--spines, titlepages, illustrations and even the boards. This book, which I consider one of his most entertaining and interesting, can not only be read without worrying about the pages coming out in your hands, but it will look great on your shelf too. It is a great feeling to be able to read an original historical artifact just as Twain’s American readers in the 19th century would have enjoyed it--with all the illustrations. BECAUSE MEDIA RATE SHIPPING IS FREE ON THE BOOKS I SELL, COMBINE THIS WITH OTHER ITEMS FROM MY EBAY STORE. I AM AN EXPERIENCED EBAY SELLER (23+ YEARS) AND SHIPPER WITH 100% (always!--since 1997!) FEEDBACK RATING. ALL ITEMS ARE CAREFULLY AND SECURELY PACKED TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE DANGER OF CRUSHING AND OR WATER/MOISTURE DAMAGE. ALL BOOKS ARE SHIPPED IN STURDY BOXES WITH TRACKING AND DELIVERY CONFIRMATION INCLUDED. I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE ALL OF THE BOOKS, AUTOGRAPHS AND SIGNATURES ON BOOKS I SELL.

Price: 699 USD

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

End Time: 2025-01-30T20:09:52.000Z

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