Three Feathers, A Novel
New York: Harper & Brothers, 1875. First American Edition, 1st Printing. Hardcover. Octavo size, 196 pp. Very Good Plus. Item #SB2119
William Black (1841-1898) was, in his day, immensely popular and his work was compared favourably with that of Anthony Trollope; sadly, his fame has not lasted into the 21st century and he has now been largely forgotten. Originally writing as a journalist, he achieved fame with the publication of his fifth novel, "A Daughter of Heth", upon which he left journalism and wrote novels full-time, eventually publishing more than 35 (per listing in the CBEL). A later novel, "A Princess of Thule", was later adapted into a musical play, "The Maid of Arran", by a young L. Frank Baum. This novel, as with many of its day, has to do with young love, the entanglements and final, happy resolution.
___DESCRIPTION: Green cloth binding, gilt lettering and short, narrow rule on the front board, gilt lettering and decorative rules to the spine, publisher's device blind-embossed on the back board, brown coated endpapers, vintage inscription in a flowing hand on the first fly "Received today with the compliments of the Publishers [name], New York, Oct. 2d, 1875". Initial pages include publisher's ad for Wilkie Collins's and George Eliot's Novels, two illustrations guarded by tissue, title page with a vignette of a man walking by water with a setting sun, verso of title page has publisher's ad for William Black's Novels, the text which contains many black and white illustrations, most full-page, followed by an 8-page "Complete List of Novels" published by Harper & Brothers; octavo size (9 5/8" by 5 5/8"), pagination: (i-ii), (1)-186, (1)-8 for the Publisher's Catalogue.
___CONDITION: Overall very good plus, with a strong, square text block, straight corners with a minimum of rubbing, solid hinges, near-perfect endpapers, and the interior is clean and bright; the interior of the book could be called fine. We are grading as very good plus overall due to some general rubbing to the binding and some wear to the head and tail of the spine.
___CITATION: CBEL III, pg. 538 cites the British edition, 3 volumes published in 1875; this volume appears to be the first American edition, per the notation referred to above.
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Price: $75.00