WUTHERING HEIGHTS by BRONTE, Emily - 1848

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1848. First American Edition. Wraps. Spine and rear cover of the first part in expert facsimile. The second part with expert repairs to the spine and rear cover. Some soiling and foxing to covers and contents. Generally Very Good and exceptionally scarce in the wrappers. Two octavo (5-1/4" x 7-11/16") volumes in the original printed wrappers. First published in England in December 1847, this American edition was published in April 1848 simultaneously in wrappers (two volumes at 25 cents each) and in cloth (one volume at 75 cents), with copies in cloth much more common than those in wrappers. It was this American edition which led to the "unmasking" of the Brontes. The author is wrongly identified on the covers and the title page as being that of "JANE EYRE," which was also first published in 1847 but was of course by Emily's sister, Charlotte. Harper & Brothers, acting on the assumption of Thomas Newby, the Bronte's British publisher, that the sisters (writing under the pseudonyms of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell) were, in fact, one person, saw nothing untoward in attributing WUTHERING HEIGHTS to the "author of JANE EYRE." It was to clear up this misunderstanding that the Brontes made their dramatic 1848 visit to their British publishers to reveal their true identity.

The various film adaptations of the novel include the classic 1939 version directed by William Wyler and starring Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff and Merle Oberon as Cathy. It was voted best film of the year by the New York Film Critics in preference to the Oscar-garlanded GONE WITH THE WIND. The English Edition of the previous year will set you back an easy 6 figures.