Life on the Mississippi
by Twain, Mark (Pseudonym of Samuel Clemens)
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Boston: James R. Osgood and Company 1883, 1st American Edition, 1st State, Intermediate A. (Leatherbound) 624pp. Good. 8vo. In original publisher's full speckled-calf (as offered in the publisher's prospectus). Red morocco labels to spine, lettered and ruled in gilt. Binding worn; hinges cracking, boards remain secure; leather rubbed, corners raw; morocco labels faded, cracked and chipped; leather chipping at head and heel of spine. Evidence of minor amateur repairs; faint evidence of repair glue at heel of spine and front hinge; head of spine and rear hinge reinforced beneath with buckram (leather laid back down). With these blemishes duly noted, the binding remains acceptably sound with the textblock entirely secure. All edges marbled; top edge dust-darkened, as expected. Matching marbled EPs. Previous owner's rubber name stamp at head of title page. Else, the textblock is generally clean; free of underling, marginalia, or any other such blemishes. Occasional small spot of dirtying; p.65 soiled, with corresponding age-toning. Verso final leaf dirtied (as if rubbed with ink transfer?). Profusely illustrated throughout with more than 300 illustrations. This copy is a First Edition, First State, Intermediate A, as described by McBride and the BAL. The tail piece on p.441 depicting Twain surrounded by flames is present, while the caption on p.443 has been corrected to "The St. Charles Hotel." with all points and blemishes considered, this remains an entirely acceptable copy of this desirable title at an accessible price. BAL 3411. McBride 84-85ff. Pseudonym of Samuel Clemens. .
Synopsis
Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain detailing his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before and after the American Civil War. The book begins with a brief history of the river from its discovery by Hernando de Soto in 1542. It continues with anecdotes of Twain's training as a steamboat pilot, as the 'cub' of an experienced pilot. He describes, with great affection, the science of navigating the ever-changing Mississippi River.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Spafford Books
(CA)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 122144
- Title
- Life on the Mississippi
- Author
- Twain, Mark (Pseudonym of Samuel Clemens)
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- James R. Osgood and Company
- Place of Publication
- Boston
- Keywords
- Mark Twain, American Literature, Literature, Literature - America
Terms of Sale
Spafford Books
Visa or MasterCard. Cheques accepted with delayed shipping. Postage and handling at cost. High value, over size, over weight items likely more, please inquire. Insurance or courier service extra. FOR RETURNS FROM OUTSIDE CANADA, PLEASE CONSULT WITH US BEFORE SHIPPING. 30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Spafford Books
Biblio member since 2009
Regina, Saskatchewan
About Spafford Books
50 + years buying and selling. Large stock dealing with western Canada, fur trade, Indigenous Peoples, general antiquarian. Open by appointment or chance! Call 1-306-525-4910.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Soiled
- Generally refers to minor discoloration or staining.
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Hinge
- The portion of the book closest to the spine that allows the book to be opened and closed.
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- Buckram
- A plain weave fabric normally made from cotton or linen which is stiffened with starch or other chemicals to cover the book...
- Chipping
- A defect in which small pieces are missing from the edges; fraying or small pieces of paper missing the edge of a paperback, or...
- Acceptable
- A non-traditional book condition description that generally refers to a book in readable condition, although no standard exists...
- Cracked
- In reference to a hinge or a book's binding, means that the glue which holds the opposing leaves has allowed them to separate,...
- BAL
- Bibliography of American Literature (commonly abbreviated as BAL in descriptions) is the quintessential reference work for any...
- Tail
- The heel of the spine.
- Heel
- The lower most portion of the spine when the book is standing vertically.
- First State
- used in book collecting to refer to a book from the earliest run of a first edition, generally distinguished by a change in some...
- Marginalia
- Marginalia, in brief, are notes written in the margins, or beside the text of a book by a previous owner. This is very...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
Collecting Nebula Award Winners of the 1970s
The Nebula Award has been awarded to stories in the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre every year since 1966. Learn about the winners of the 1970s!
Collecting Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley was a well-known and highly controversial figure in the first half of the 20th Century. A writer, occultist, magician, and mountaineer, Crowley impacted a diverse collection of sub-cultures and interests. See collectible Crowley from Biblio booksellers.
