Rudyard Kipling Departmental Ditties and Other Verses. A lot of ten variant first editions.

Kipling published more than sixteen different editions of "Ditties", adding new content as the years elapsed. The first edition, not present here, was published in 1886 with 11 Departmental Ditties and 15 Other Verses. Over the next several years, he added poems additional poems to most of the new editions – making this collection one a rather intriguing bibliographic oddity and a prize for the completist. This lot consists of ten titles, all first thus of the editions with added content.

-----. 2d edition. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and Company, 1886. 8vo; issued in gray boards but this copy rebound in beige linen by Higginbotham and Co, Madras. This copy lacking the original 6pp. advertisements at end.This edition had five new poems as well as alterations to three poems not published in England until 1897. Very scarce - only 750 copies of this edition were printed and a notoriously fragile book, hence the rebinding. Very good; inked signature on ffep; paper seal inside back cover. [Livingston 12]

-----. 3d edition, 1st and 2d states. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and Company, 1888. 12mo, first state, blue cloth, dated March 1888. Ten new poems. Diana of Ephesus appears for first and only time; 40 pp of advts at back. Very good; several small white stains on front and back covers. 2nd state, rust colored cloth with gilt design. Fair; Split hinge at center; faded front cover. [Livingston 13.]

-----. 4th edition. Calcutta/London: Thacker, Spink and Company, 1890. 12mo, blue cloth. Ten new poems; this is the first edition printed in England as well as Calcutta. First state with the 24 pages of advts at the end dated February 1890. VG; backstrip sunned; wear at top and bottom of spine; corners bumped, bookplate inside front cover. [Livingston 14]

-----. 6th edition. Calcutta/London: Thacker, Spink and Company, 1890. 12mo, red cloth. First edition with the glossary added for English readers. No other changes other than a resetting of the type and a slight shifting in the arrangement of the poems. Fine. [Livingston 17]

-----. 9th edition. London: W. Thacker & Co., 1897. Royal 8vo, blue cloth, gilt.First solely English and illustrated edition (by Dudley Carter).VG; name and date on half-title; light foxing on title page. [Livingston 19]

-----. 16th edition. Methuen & Co. London, 1904. No bibliographic distinctions, but this copy signed by Kipling on title page; prior owner signature on ffep; backstrip sunned.

Departmental Ditties and Other Verses, 1st American edition. NY: M.F. Mansfield and Co., n.d. [1898] 8vo, red cloth, gilt titles and ornament. Pirated edition, with 49 poems from the fourth edition. VG; inscription on front end paper. [Livingston 15]

Departmental Ditties, Barrack Room Ballads, and other Verses. NY: U.S. Book Company, 1890.12mo, Maroon cloth, beveled edges, gilt titles and top. Scarce first state with 'Lovell' on the backstrip and the copyright notice on verso of title page. Later issues generally have the backstrip blank; some have Lovell Coryell. Some have Lovell Coryell on the title page and some have no date on verso. This is the first American edition of the Ditties and first edition altogether of seventeen Barrack Room Ballads, including such famous poems as Gunga Din, Fuzzy Wuzzy, and Mandalay.Very good; minor edge and corner wear; small spot on front cover. [Livingston 55]

Departmental Ditties - A Glossary to Accompany Departmental Ditties as written by Rudyard Kipling. NY: M.F. Mansfield & A. Wessels,1899. 1st separate publication of the glossary first published in the sixth edition. Very good; faded backstrip; small stain to back cover. [Livingston 194]