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"It is not down on any map; true places never are": Rare First Edition Of Herman Melville's Moby Dick
MELVILLE, HERMAN.
Moby Dick; Or, The Whale.
New York: Harper & Brothers 1851.
First edition, first issue binding, with the circular Harper’s device of Melville’s masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth (BAL’s A grain), covers stamped in blind with the publisher’s circular device at the center within a heavy blind rule frame, orange-coated endpapers. In near fine condition with some usual of the usual foxing to the pages. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made in the 1930s. A completely unrestored example of this cornerstone. An exceptional example, one which has been protected in a clamshell box for years.
Price: $60,000.00 Item Number: 141417
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First Illustrated Edition of Herman Melville's Moby Dick; with numerous illustrations by Rockwell Kent; Inscribed by Him
MELVILLE, HERMAN; ILLUSTRATED BY ROCKWELL KENT.
Moby Dick.
New York: Random House 1930.
First edition of Rockwell Kent’s profusely illustrated edition of the great American novel. Octavo, original black cloth decorated in gilt, illustrated throughout by Rockwell Kent. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Ann Busby by Rockwell Kent.” In very good condition. A bright example.
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 141408
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Rare autograph letter signed by Herman Melville to his publishers Harper & Brothers
MELVILLE, HERMAN.
Herman Melville Autograph Letter Signed.
: .
Rare autograph letter signed and entirely in the hand of Herman Melville to his publisher, Harper & Brothers. One page, the letter reads in full, “Harper & Brothers New York. Pittsfield Oct. 8th Gentlemen: Herewith is an article, which, if it suit, will you, according to what you have said to me, send me the money for, without further trouble to yourselves or me. Very truly yours H. Melville.” The letter likely dates from 1885 when Melville’s financial circumstances were becoming dire. The article he references, The Apple-Tree Table, first appeared in serial form in 1850 and was later published in a collected trade edition by Princeton University Press in 1922. “Melville’s ‘The Apple-Tree Table, or Original Spiritual Manifestations,’ enjoys a unique place among his works as a topical satire on a current religious movement: the Spiritualist cult of the 1850s… as Frank Davidson long ago pointed out, it ‘records its author’s thoughts on religion at a critical time in his life’ – a time when Melville was meditating, and perhaps actually writing, the more comprehensive religious satire generally considered his bleakest and most difficult work: The Confidence-Man” (Karcher, The “Spiritual Lesson” of Melville’s “The Apple-Tree Table”, 1971). Melville’s financial success as a writer during his lifetime was not great, relative to his posthumous success; over his entire lifetime Melville’s writings earned him just over $10,000 (equivalent to $254,469 in 2021). Melville’s travelogues based on voyages to the South Seas and stories based on his time in the merchant marine and navy led to some initial success, but his popularity declined dramatically afterwards. By 1876, all of his books were out of print. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom folding chemise slip case with a morocco spine label lettered in gilt.
Price: $17,500.00 Item Number: 139021
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"I hardly think that any letter will further your object; still, if the accompanying one can be made of the least service, I shall be happy": Rare autograph letter signed by Great American Author Herman Melville
MELVILLE, HERMAN.
Herman Melville Autograph Letter Signed.
: c. 1855.
Rare autograph letter signed and entirely in the hand of great American novelist Herman Melville. One page, the letter reads in full, “Pittsfield Aug 26 Osmond Tiffany Esq. My dear Sir, With pleasure I comply with your request, but hardly think that any letter will further your object; still, if the accompanying one can be made of the least service, I shall be happy. Wishing you all success in your affairs I am Very Truly Yours H Melville.” The recipient, Osmond Tiffany was a Baltimore merchant and occasional author who contributed to the Atlantic Monthly and The Knickerbocker. In 1855, he reached out to several authors including Washington Irving, seeking assistance in finding a publisher for his novel, Brandon; or, A Hundred Years Ago. Based on Irving’s response dated December 15, 1855, Melville’s letter was likely written in that same year. Tiffany’s work, set during the French and Indian War, was published in New York by Stanford & Delisser in 1858. In fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and folding chemise slipcase.
Price: $18,500.00 Item Number: 138591
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Exceptionally rare First edition of Herman Melville's first and most popular book Typee A Peep at Polynesian Life During a Four Months' Residence in A Valley of the Marquesas; inscribed by him to Captain Charles Ball
MELVILLE, HERMAN.
Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life. During a Four Months’ Residence in A Valley of the Marquesas.
New York: Wiley and Putnam 1846.
First edition of Melville’s first book and his most popular during his lifetime. Octavo, two volumes bound into one in the original cloth stamped in blind with gilt titles to the spine, frontispiece map, both half-titles and 6 pages of publisher’s advertisements at rear. BAL 13653. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper one month after publication, “Captain Ball, With the respects of the author, Westport April 18th 1846.” The recipient, Captain Charles Ball was captain of the whaling ship Theophilus Chase, on which Thomas Melville, the author’s youngest brother, set sail for the first time at the age of sixteen. Thomas’s decision to follow in his older brother’s footsteps was likely due to hearing Herman’s stories of his time at sea which began in 1841 with his voyage aboard the whaling ship the Acushnet. Thomas set sail aboard the Theophilus Chase on March, 18 1846 for the South Atlantic from Westport but was homeward bound by April, at which point Herman apparently visited Westport and inscribed this copy of Typee, just one month after its American publication on March 17th. In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Books inscribed by Melville are scarce.
Price: $250,000.00 Item Number: 138349
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"By mail I send you a small volume, some portions of which": Rare Herman Melville Autographed Letter Signed to his wife's cousin Ellen Marrett Gifford
MELVILLE, HERMAN.
Herman Melville Autograph Letter Signed.
: 1888.
Herman Melville autographed letter signed to his wife’s cousin Ellen Marrett Gifford completely in his hand, which reads, “164 E. 26th St. Nov. 6th 1888 My Dear Mrs. Gifford: By mail I send you a small volume, some portions of which, I hope may prove more or less interesting to you- Lissie tells me she is about writing you, so I leave her to hell you whatever news there may be. Your friend H. Melville.” In near fine condition. Housed in a custom chemise and clamshell box. Melville signed letters are rare.
Price: $25,000.00 Item Number: 129820
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"It is not down on any map; true places never are": Rare First Edition Of Herman Melville's Moby Dick
MELVILLE, HERMAN.
Moby Dick; Or, The Whale.
New York: Harper & Brothers 1851.
First edition, first issue binding, with the circular Harper’s device of Melville’s masterpiece. Octavo, original purple-brown cloth (BAL’s A grain), covers stamped in blind with the publisher’s circular device at the center within a heavy blind rule frame, original orange-coated endpapers. Of the 2,951 copies printed, 125 were review copies. About 1,500 sold in 11 days, but then sales slowed to less than 300 the next year. After two years copies of the first edition were still available, and almost 300 were destroyed in the 1853 fire of Harper’s warehouse. In near fine condition with some of the usual light foxing and light shelfwear to the spine tips. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A completely unrestored example of this cornerstone. A superior example.
Price: $65,000.00 Item Number: 99735