- thingsandoth...
- feedback 5005
- location Huntingto...
- last seen 01/08/09
Century Magazine 1884-85 HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain ITEM DESCRIPTION: First publication of Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" took place in the December 1884 and January, February 1885 editions of Century Magazine -- All 3 of those issues and installments are included in this Bound Volume of Century, 1884-1885. Please see very detailed condition notes (this one's a beauty!) and several photographs below this basic description of the contents. From the "Antique Trader Vintage Magazines Price Guide" a little history: "The creme de la creme of the American literati all had first appearances of their fiction published in The Century. The most pivotal was the pre-publication in parts of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Editor Richard Watson Gilder wanted to publish the entire novel serially. He talked Mark Twain into an excerpt for The Century's December 1884 issue. He then convinced Twain to let him print two further installments, in January and February, 1885. Although Twain participated in these publications, Gilder selected which parts to use, and also did most of the extensive editing by which aspects of the novel were 'adapted to our audience.' Huck Finn created an immediate sensation." The section then speaks of the negative response to Finn before concluding "Twain loved the ban because of all the free publicity. In retrospect, it was a successful literary alliance, as many other Twain creations were printed first in The Century's pages" (Page 141-142). Below you'll find images of the front and back covers or this volume as well as the entire spine. Also pictured are images from each of the three sections that The Century published: "An Adventure of Huckleberry Finn" (pages 268-278), "Jim's Investments, and King Sollermun" (pages 456-458), and "Royalty on the Mississippi" (pages 544-567). Pretty important stuff! Also included in this volume are 6 parts (one for each issue) of the classic "The Rise of Silas Lapham" by William Dean Howells -- this isn't the complete serialized novel, but it does begin with Chapter 1 on the first issue included. Other notable articles/stories/poetry/etc.: "The Bostonians" by Henry James (3 parts) "A Florentine Mosaic" also by William Dean Howells "Free Joe and the Rest of the World" by Joel Chandler Harris "Heine, the Poet" by Emma Lazarus "The Making of a Museum" by Ernest Ingersoll "Phases of State Legistlation" by Theodore Roosevelt Several article on "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War" "The Battle of Bull Run" by G.T. Beauregard "The Capture of Fort Donelson" by Ben-Hur author Lew Wallace "The First Fight of Iron-Clads" by John Taylor Wood "The Opening of the Lower Mississippi" by David D. Porter "The Battle of Shiloh" by Ulysses S. Grant More Civil War articles! So much more not listed here, but I think I hit the highlights. Published bound, in other words, no covers or advertisements within, but all text and illustrations from the issues November 1884 through April 1885. Copyright 1885 by The Century Co. and from the Press of Theo. L. De Vinne & Co., New York. CONDITION: This is the fifth such volume I've handled in the past 18 months and this one is by far the strongest of the group in terms of condition. In fact, it's so strong I'll say I first suspected it was rebound at a later time, but the inside pages are so clean that I couldn't say for sure--the inside pages are mildly toned, otherwise perfect, while the inside covers and end papers are a very bright white. Bound in black cloth, strong with no tears or rubbing at the edges of the corner points. Very tightly bound, especially at the inside hinges of the covers, though there is a gap in space between the bulk of the pages and the inside of the spine; spine seems to be very slightly cocked towards the front. Covers have some light soiling on both sides, one half-inch light scratch/gouge into surface on front, a couple of very tiny spots on each side where the black has rubbed off (I'm talking pinpoint sized spots). Library stamps on both sides inside front and back covers; also stamped on outer edges of pages on all three sides; this is all shown in the photos that follow. A name written in light pencil at the top of the title page. Some light soiling on outer edges of pages with what looks like some light glue residue from binding at the top edge up against the spine. On a scale of 1-10 I'd call it a 7.5 overall.
ADVANCED DETAILS
