Click for full-size.
Moby Dick or The Whale
by MELVILLE, Herman; KENT, Rockwell (Illus.)
- Used
- near fine
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Near Fine
- Seller
-
COLUMBIA, Missouri, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
1930 Moby Dick Rockwell Kent ART 1ed Herman Melville Whaling Voyage Illustrated
"Moby Dick"is perhaps the most famous sea adventure novel of the 19th-century. First appearing in periodicals, Herman Melville's most famous work saw an initial mix of responses on its way to becoming one of the great American novels. The books rise to fame even caused authors like William Faulkner stating that he wished he had written the book himself. While the work itself is a story of hunting the great whale Moby Dick, it is written with themes regarding social class, good and evil, and the existence of God.
This valuable 1930 American edition, or, the first Kent edition, was published by Random House and includes famous illustrations by the beloved artist, Rockwell Kent. The Kent illustrated editions are considered the best 'Moby Dick' printings and are known to have helped propel 'Moby Dick' to the classic status it holds today.
Item number: #30741
Price: $499
MELVILLE, Herman; KENT, Rockwell (Illus.)
Moby Dick or The Whale
New York: Random House, 1930. First Edition.
Details:
· Collation: Complete
o xxxi, [1], 822, [6]
o Numerous full-page and in-text illustrations throughout
· Language: English
· Binding: Hardcover; tight and secure
o Decorative black cloth
· Size: ~ 7.25in X 5.5in (18.5cm x 14cm)
Our Guarantee:
Very Fast. Very Safe. Free Shipping Worldwide.
Customer satisfaction is our priority! Notify us with 7 days of receiving, and we will offer a full refund without reservation!
30741
Photos available upon request.
Synopsis
Melville's classic was first published in England as three volumes titled The Whale in October 1851. Slow sales of Melville's previously books convinced Publisher L. Richard Bentley to reduce the printing to only 500 copies, and of that, only 300 sold in the first 4 months. The remaining unbound sheets were bound in a cheaper casing in 1852, and in 1853 there were still enough remaining sheets to again bind into an even cheaper edition. Melville changed the title to Moby Dick a month later, November 1851, when the American Version was published in one volume by Harper & Brothers in NY. 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. Most of the first editions have orange end-papers, although there are 2 known volumes with rare white-endpapers. Because of Nineteenth-century printing practices, and the time-lapse between when the first-editions were published and Melville became collectible, oxidized paper, bumped and chipped spines, and brittle wrappers are all common for even the most expensive and collectible of these books, which can sell from $35,000 to $100,000. Also, expect heavy wear and maybe even minor repair. Another collectible edition is the 1930 first edition illustrated by Rockwell Kent, a three-volume set published by the Lakeside Press with acetate dust jackets in an aluminum slipcase. These range in value from $9,000 to $11,000. A total of 3,215 copies of Moby-Dick were sold during Melville's life (he died in 1891). Today, Moby-Dick is considered one of the greatest American novels. -
Read More: Identifying first editions of Moby Dick or The Whale
Reviews
On Mar 9 2016, a reader said:
Why would this be 600 since the original was in 1851?
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Schilb Antiquarian Rare Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 30741
- Title
- Moby Dick or The Whale
- Author
- MELVILLE, Herman; KENT, Rockwell (Illus.)
- Illustrator
- KENT, Rockwell (Illus.)
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover; tight and secure
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Random House
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1930
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- 1930 Moby Dick Rockwell Kent ART 1ed Herman Melville Whaling Voyage Illustrated, rare, antique, old, first edition, 1st state, provenance, signed, inscribed, dust jacket, vellum, manuscript, engravings, illustrations, leather, plates, maps, antiquarian
Terms of Sale
Schilb Antiquarian Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Schilb Antiquarian Rare Books
Biblio member since 2018
COLUMBIA, Missouri
About Schilb Antiquarian Rare Books
We live & breathe rare books! This year we are celebrating over a decade of business with over 10,000 positive transactions all over the globe! We remain at your service and look forward to earning your business.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- 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...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
Collecting Classic Supernatural Fiction
Classic supernatural fiction is distinct from contemporary horror because it is more literate and often relies upon poetic subtlety rather than unpleasant gratuity to create an atmosphere. Enter if you dare!
Collecting Banned & Challenged Books
Build a revolutionary library of literature that has been challenged or even outright banned. You’ll be surprised by some of the titles in this gallery!
Also Recommended
-
-
-
-
-
Save 10% on every purchase!
Join the Bibliophiles’ Club and start saving 10% on every book.
$29.95 / Year
