Clemens, Samuel | A fine, completely unsophisticated copy of Tom Sawyer

Property from the Workman Collection

Clemens, Samuel

Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Hartford: The American Publishing Company, 1876

8vo (213 x 165 mm). Frontispiece and 159 wood-engraved text illustrations by True Williams and others, half-title, 4 pages of publisher's advertisements at end. Publisher's decorative blue cloth stamped in gilt and black, peach endpapers, gilt edges; some minor rubbing and fading only, with minor and old repair to joint of lower endpaper. Housed in full blue morocco case.

First American edition, first printing of text with points: printed on wove paper, versos of half-title and preface blank. A fine, completely unsophisticated copy.

"The irresponsibility, the love of odd adventure, and the sense of natural justice as opposed to the village code, which characterize the heroes of this book and its sequel Huckleberry Finn, presented a sharp contrast to the Sunday School or rags-to-riches literature which was then the common fare doled out to children... these books let fresh air into the minds of parents who had shut the door on their own childhood, and they will be classics the world over as long as there are boys" (Grolier American 79).

REFERENCE:

BAL 3369; Grolier American 79

PROVENANCE:

Gift inscription in neat script by "Fannie" and dated Christmas 1876. Some have entertained that this was Clemens' secretary at the time.