Search Results: American Literature from Quercus Rare Books

New York: Harper and Brothers, 1892. American author/critic William Dean Howells (1837-1920) wrote this absurdist farce for "Harper's Weekly" in 1889; it was then published as part of Harper's "Black and White Series." Not a common book, and often omitted from a Howells bibliography. Fittingly, with a white cloth binding with black titling and decorations. Clean text; 68 pages, with four pages of publisher adverts in the rear; seven black and white illustrations by William Thomas Smedley (1858-1920). Very lightly bumped, and the white binding shows some soiling, but the book is still quite attractive.. First Edition. Decorative Cloth. Near Fine/No Jacket. 32mo - over 4" - 5" tall.

New York & London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1904. First published in September 1903. This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the Second Printing from the following year (retains "Published November, 1903" on the copyright page, but with the date changed on the title page). Blue cloth binding with gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text; 432 pages; top edge is gilt. Very mild bumping; faded to green around the margins. Lacking the scarce dustjacket. A solid copy of one of the high spots of American literature.. Later Printing. Hard Cover. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

New York: Carleton Publisher, (Late Rudd & Carleton), 1864. First published in 1862; this is a Good only copy of a Later Printing (1864). Brown embossed cloth binding with gilt lettering on the spine. The illustrator is not named in this edition, but it is Mullen. 262 pages, with eight pages of publisher's adverts in the rear (the first two pages are actually additional Ward compositions). POS (contemporary) on the FFEP. Although basically sound, this is a well-worn copy, not for the serious collector. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Later Printing.. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket.

New York & London: Carleton Publisher & S. Low, Son & Co., 1865. Charles Farrar Browne (1834-1867) became one of the most popular comic writers in America and England under his pseudonym of Artemus Ward.; supposedly he was Abraham Lincoln's favorite author. Here is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the First American Edition. Green embossed cloth covers with gilt lettering on the spine. Twelve illustrations by Mullen. Clean text; 231 pages, plus eight pages of publisher adverts in the rear. This copy is notable for the excellent quality of the textblock - very fresh, supple, and bright. The covers show typical, but minimal wear; bumped, light soil; lettering on spine still bright. There are two previous-owner signatures: (1) from 1942, on the front paste-down; and another, undated but contemporary, on the third free endpaper. A solid copy of an American classic. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. First American Edition.. Hard Cover. Very Good Plus/No Jacket. Illus. by Mullen.

Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1872. This is a Very Good (Minus) copy of the First Edition. Green cloth binding, ruled on the covers, with gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text; 215 pages, no publisher adverts in the rear but two illustrated ones in the front. This copy is bumped and rubbed at the margins, particularly so at the foot and crown of the spine. Both front and rear gutters have cracked, although they are holding. Size: 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. Later Printing.. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket.

Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1873. This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition. Orange cloth binding, decoritively stamped on the frnt cover; titling and decorations in gilt on the spine. Clean text; two pages of ads and two illustrations precede the Title Page. 226 pages, with a six-page advert in the rear. Mildly bumped; slight lean; mild soiling to covers; head of spine rubbed. There are four tiny black dots, of a mysterious nature, on the rar cover. A solid copy that presents nicely.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall.

Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1888. Contains eleven stories in addition to the famous "My Girls." First published in 1877; this is a Very good copy of an early Later Printing. Brick red cloth binding with stamped ruling; titling and decorations in gilt on the spine. Clean text; two frontis engravings, 229 pages, with two pages of adverts in the rear. The front also has a Roberts advert with another charming engraving opposite. Contemporary bookplate with signature on the FFEP; with another signature on the following page. Bumps and rubbing to the margins. A solid copy that can be read for enjoyment today.. Later Printing. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall.

Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1872. This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the First Edition, the first in the series of "Scrap-Bags." Green cloth binding, decoratively ruled on the covers; Gilt titling and decorations on the spine. Clean text; 215 pages, with a two-page ad in the rear. Two illustrations appear prior to the Title Page. Table of Contents lists 14 stories; a list of Alcott's "Recent New Works" precedes it. Neat contemporary signature (1872) on the FFEP. Very slightly cocked. Mild rub at the margins, a bit heavier at the head and foot of the spine. A solid copy that presents well.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1890. Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) began his series of light essays with the "Autocrat" in 1858. Here is a small set of two volumes, presented in a fine binding. Marbled paper-covered boards with leather spine and tips. Seven bands on the spine; ruled in black and gilt, dark red labels with gilt lettering. Clean texts; 203 pages, continuous to 442 pages, with index. Marbled endpapers and page-ends. Copyright date is 1889 but the Title Page says 1890 in Roman numerals. The margins are rubbed but these remain extremely attractive small books. Size: 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. First Thus.. Half-Leather. Very Good Plus/No Jacket.

London: Chatto & Windus, 1896. This is a Very Good copy of the First English Edition, published at the same time as the American edition. Not common. Blue decorative cloth binding filled in black and gilt; decorative endpapers. 39 illustrations. Clean text; 263 pages. Bound in the rear is a 32-page publisher's catalog, dated September 1896, in a different (lesser) paper stock. The spine has faded, as has gilt on front cover. Bumped to a fray and with tender/cracked gutters. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Thus.. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. Illus. by A. Forestier, Paul Hardy, A. Morrow, J. Gulich.

New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1852. Here is an anthology of the great American historian's essays from "The North American Review." This is a Near Fine copy of the First American Edition. Surprisingly uncommon; most institutional holdings are later and from differing publishers. Brown cloth binding with leather tips and spine. Spine has five raised bands with gilt ruling and decorations. There is a red label with gilt titling. Clean text; vii, 638 pages, with a two-page advert for "Valuable Works for Reference" in the rear. Marbled endpapers and edges. Only some occasional spotting throughout, but generally a nice, bright text; very readable today, and probably worth it.. First American Edition.. Half-Leather. Near Fine/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

New York: Albert & Charles Boni, 1924. Transcriptions of songs and stories from Louisiana, mostly in dialect; a great source for studying the literature and music derived from African and slave culture. This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition. Yellow decorative cloth binding with black and red. Clean text; 210 pages; decorative endpapers. great black-and-white illustrations by Edward Tinker. Lacking the dustjacket. Spine is a bit darkened and rubbed. Penciled signature and gift inscription on the front endpapers. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. First Edition.. Decorative Cloth. Very Good Plus/No Jacket. Illus. by Edward Larocque Tinker.

New York: International Association of Newspapers and Authors, 1901. Benjamin Franklin Norris, Jr (1870-1902), influenced by Zola's naturalism, is famous for several "muckraking" novels that are associated with progressive causes for reform. He was also, unfortunately, influenced by the Social Darwinism and Scientific Racism of his day, and tainted by the ever-popular antisemitism. First published in 1899; this is a Very Good copy of a reprinted edition from two years later. Not common. Decorative green cloth binding, with a design of hearts and garlands in red; titling in black on spine and front cover. Clean text; 339 pages. This is an ex-libris book, but the only library treatments are small stamps on the front and rear paste-downs. Lightly bumped; spine slightly faded; some bubbling noted on the front cover.. Later Printing. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

New York: International Association of Newspapers and Authors, 1901. Benjamin Franklin Norris, Jr (1870-1902), influenced by Zola's naturalism, is famous for several "muckraking" novels that are associated with progressive causes for reform. He was also, unfortunately, influenced by the Social Darwinism and Scientific Racism of his day, and tainted by the ever-popular antisemitism. First published in 1899; this is a Near Fine copy of a reprinted edition from two years later; regarded as the Second Printing or the Second Edition. Not common. Decorative yellow cloth binding, with a design of hearts and garlands in red; titling in black on spine and front cover. Clean text; 339 pages. Contemporary (1902) gift inscription on the FFEP. Some light spotting on the rear cover. The rather scarce dustjacket is complete, but has quite a bit of chipping along the margins; darkened, more so on the spine. In an archival plastic protector.. Later Printing. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Very Good. 12mo -… Read More

New York: Fords, Howard, & Hulbert, 1880. Albion Tourgee (1838-1905), a major figure of the Reconstruction following the American Civil War, argued on the losing side of the notorious Supreme Court case "Plessy v. Ferguson." History now recognizes him to have been on the correct side, morally. A Radical Republican, his popular novels were told with sympathy toward the African-American experience. This is a Very Good Plus to Near Fine copy of the First Edition. Red cloth binding witha highly-decorative blindstamed design on both front & back covers); gilt lettering on the spine. All very bright. Clean and fresh text; supple and quite readable. 521 pages with 4 pages of publisher's adverts in the back. Contemporary previous-owner signature on the FFEP. This copy lacks the erratum slip for Page 343; it is a Second State, as the text has been corrected. An extremely attractive copy by a major figure in American legal and political history. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" -… Read More

Cincinnati/New York: Cranston & Curts/Hunt & Eaton, 1893. An historical novel set in the coalfields during the era of the Mollie Maguires. Bishop based his work on contemporary reports and was not a fan of this secret labor organization; in his Preface he calls them a "midnight, dark-lantern, murderous-minded fraternity." This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition; an uncommon title. Variant brown cloth binding, decoratively stamped in black on the front cover, with titling in gilt; gilt titling on the spine. Clean text; 320 pages, with four pages of publisher's adverts in the rear. Frontis engraving, and nine other illustrations throughout. Bumped, rubbing at the margins. A sound copy.. First Edition. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

Cincinnati/New York: Cranston & Curts/Hunt & Eaton, 1893. An historical novel set in the coalfields during the era of the Mollie Maguires. Bishop based his work on contemporary reports and was not a fan of this secret labor organization; in his Preface he calls them a "midnight, dark-lantern, murderous-minded fraternity." This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition; an uncommon title. Variant green cloth binding (also seen in brown), decoratively stamped in black on the front cover, with titling in gilt; gilt titling on the spine. Clean text; 320 pages, with four pages of publisher's adverts in the rear. Frontis engraving, and nine other illustrations throughout. A previous-owner has made pencil notes (1941) on the FFEP. Bumped, rubbing at the margins, with a bit of a lean; still, a sound copy. First Edition. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

New York: Dodd, Mead & Co, 1904. Dunbar (1872-1906) was a child prodigy, son of former slaves, recognized now as an important voice in African-American literature; he died of tuberculosis much too young First published in 1901; this is a Very Good (Plus) copy of a Later Printing, from three lears later. Beautiful decorative green cloth binding by Margaret Armstrong; floral design (cotton) with moon in maroon, white, black and gilt; gilt titling and floral motif on the spine. Clean text; 127 pages. Illustrated by Armstrong and wonderful photographs by the Hampton Institute Camera Club. Lightly rubbed at the margins and two small spots of discoloration on the front cover.. Later Printing. Decorative Cloth. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. Illus. by Margaret Armstrong. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

New York: Fred De Fau & Company, 1902. This is Volume VIII only of a ten-volume set, containing thirty-four essays on Poe. The edition was LIMITED to 1000 copies. Brown cloth binding withgilt titling on the spine. Clean text; iv, 387 pages; top-edge is gilt, others rough-cut. Frontis illustration. Very Good condition; rubbing to the margins, chip to bottom of the spine. An interesting evening's read.. Limited. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Boston: James R. Osgood, 1871. This is a Near Fine copy of the First Edition Thus, containing two stories not in the 1867 edition. Osgood issued these in a uniform binding with gilt lettering and a facsimile signature on the front board, but with different-colored pebbled cloth; this is the green version. Illustrations by Sol Eytinge, Jr. Clean text; 212 pages. Penciled previous-owner signature, barely visible on the brown endpapers. Mild rub to head and foot of the spine. No dustjacket; in an archival plastic protector. A nice copy. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. First Thus.. Hard Cover. Near Fine/No Jacket. Illus. by S. Eytinge, Jr..