Mathias Sandorf
London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington, 1886.
First British edition, first printing of Jules Verne's adventure story inspired by the author's yacht trip from Tangiers to Malta. viii, 192, 199, [1], 32 pp. with advertising list at rear dated October 1886. Profusely illustrated with wood engravings after drawings by Leon Benett, Verne's most important illustrator. Bound in publisher's blue cloth over beveled boards with pictorial stamping in black, white, and gilt, all edges gilt; variant binding with publisher's name stamped in smaller and neater type at tail of spine. Near Fine with light rubbing and soiling to covers, strengthening to hinges and head of spine, and school prize bookplate dated 1895 to front pastedown. Occasional foxing, more pronounced on prelims. Penciled numbers to first page of each part. Myers 38, Taves & Michaluk V028.
An exceptionally fine copy of a very prettily designed book; Jules Verne was an international star and the novel was published in gift binding with a eye to the Christmas market. The book was advertised with a blurb from the Saturday Review: "Christmas without Jules Verne would be a sad time for many English boys." This copy was indeed gifted for Christmas several years later, to a lucky schoolboy who had done well in English. By that time the novel had been published in Sampson Low's "Newer and Cheaper" editions. The superior first edition is scarce, particularly in such nice shape.
Price: $4,000