The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.
First Edition Identification
First edition published by Ticknor, Reeds and Fields, in Boston 1850. Main first edition marker is "reduplicate" instead of "repudiate" on page 21 Four page publisher's adverts at front dated March 1, 1850 and preceding the free end paper. The brown T-cloth favored by Ticknor & Fields is famous for becoming brittle with age, and cracking or fraying at the spine tips. First editions can run upwards of $20,000.
The second edition adds a preface and has a Metcalf imprint on verso of title-page. The third printing has the same preface but has a Hobart & Robbins imprint on verso of title-page.
Other Collectible or Notable Editions
From Abaa.org Checklist of Hawthorne's first and major editions:
A note of caution is warranted for this book: Like so many landmark works of literature, this book has been a favorite target of forgers for nearly a century and copies of the second edition are found posing as first editions (with the preface cleverly excised), and copies of first edition sheets are often found recased in the identical bindings that were used on the second, third and later printings. Prices vary widely with condition, and Hawthorne collectors must compete with "highspot collectors" but most copies in very good unrepaired condition fetch $5,000 or more, and a fine copy can bring more than double that much. A nice copy of the second edition should be under $1,000. -Reviews
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Available Copies
The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First edition
- Published
- 1850
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
CHESTER, Connecticut, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$4,248.50
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The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Fair Condition
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1850
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Roslindale, Massachusetts, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$3,568.74
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The Scarlet Letter
by HAWTHORNE, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- Second Edition
- Published
- 1850
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Winchester, Virginia, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$637.28
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The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Published
- 1/1/1910
- Binding
- HARDCOVER
- ISBN
- 9781566190954
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Oconto, Wisconsin, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$11.88
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The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1850
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Portland, Oregon, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$13,255.32
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The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First edition
- Published
- 1850
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
CHESTER, Connecticut, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$12,745.50
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The Scarlet Letter (Signet Classics)
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- New
- ISBN
- 9780451531353
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Bensalem, Pennsylvania, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$18.40
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The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - G, covers have edge wear and corners bumped. Emblem still in good condition. Front hinge cracked. Pages have slight yellowing at
- Published
- 1908
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Columbia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$237.92
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The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Edition
- First Series (A) 1935.
- Published
- 1935
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$127.46
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THE SCARLET LETTER: A Romance Literally Reprinted from the First Edition, with Fifteen Original Colored Illustrations by A. Robaudi and C. Graham
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1904
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Middletown, Maryland, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$764.73
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THE SCARLET LETTER. A Romance
by Hawthorne Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1850
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$34,582.79
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THE SCARLET LETTER
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Very good.
- Published
- 1892
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$2,549.10
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The Scarlet Letter.
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1920
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$14,954.72
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Good to Very Good
- Published
- 1852
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Houlton, Maine, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$807.22
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The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 1905
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Didcot, Oxfordshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
NZ$14.88
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The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Very Good with no dust jacket
- Edition
- First Edition. 1
- Published
- N.D.
- Binding
- Hard Cover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palatine, Illinois, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$33.99
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THE SCARLET LETTER Franklin Library
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First Edition; First Printing
- Published
- 1976
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Pomona, New York, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$509.74
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THE SCARLET LETTER
by HAWTHORNE, Nathaniel
- Condition
- Used - Foxing to endpapers. Spine a bit darkened and dry with light wear at tips. About Very Good, lacking the slipcase
- Published
- 1941
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$265.62
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The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$25.49
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The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Edition
- Graylock, vol. VI
- Published
- 1900
- Binding
- Leather limp bound
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Plano, Texas, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$25.49