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THOREAU, Henry David : A WEEK ON THE CONCORD AND MERRIMACK RIVERS

Ticknor & Fields, Boston, 1862

First Edition, Original green Z cloth, Binding D, no priority. BAL 20104 notes this binding only in green P cloth. Borst A1.1.a notes only copies in brown or purple cloth. The famous Second Issue of Thoreau's first book and, other than WALDEN, the only of his books published in his lifetime. There were 1000 sets of sheets printed at the author's expense in 1849. The book did not sell well, and in 1853 the 706 remaining copies (256 bound copies and 450 in sheets) were shipped back to Thoreau, prompting the author to remark, "I have now a library of nearly nine hundred volumes, over seven hundred of which I wrote myself." Over the years Thoreau occasionally sold or gave away copies. Ticknor & Fields purchased the remaining 145 bound copies and 450 unbound copies from Thoreau in 1862, publishing the book with a cancel title page and leaving the final leaf advertising the upcoming publication of WALDEN intact. As has often been noted, whoever owns a copy of this issue owns a copy once in Thoreau's library. This issue is scarcer than the First Issue of 1849, and with its personal association with Thoreau, it is quite desirable., Original cloth, A large, skimmed spot at the center of the front blank with slight effect on the title page is the only defect to this otherwise gorgeous copy. A spectacular example of this scarce book

THOREAU, Henry David : A WEEK ON THE CONCORD AND MERRIMACK RIVERS

Ticknor & Fields, Boston, 1862

First Edition, Original brown Z cloth, Binding D, no priority. BAL 20104 does not note this binding in brown cloth though Borst A1.1.a does. The famous Second Issue of Thoreau's first book and, other than WALDEN, the only of his books published in his lifetime. There were 1000 sets of sheets printed at the author's expense in 1849. The book did not sell well, and in 1853 the 706 remaining copies (256 bound copies and 450 in sheets) were shipped back to Thoreau, prompting the author to remark, "I have now a library of nearly nine hundred volumes, over seven hundred of which I wrote myself." Over the years Thoreau occasionally sold or gave away copies. Ticknor & Fields purchased the remaining 145 bound copies and 450 unbound copies from Thoreau in 1862, publishing the book with a cancel title page and leaving the final leaf advertising the upcoming publication of WALDEN intact. As has often been noted, whoever owns a copy of this issue owns a copy once in Thoreau's library. This issue is scarcer than the First Issue of 1849, and with its personal association with Thoreau, it is quite desirable. Owner name of Elizabeth dated 1865 on the front blank along with the ink name "E. B. Simpkins" on the dark brown front endpaper, possibly a relation to Emerson's publisher Samuel G. Simpkins., Original cloth, Contents clean, a couple of signatures slightly pulled. Spine tips frayed with about a 1/4" piece lacking at the head not affecting any lettering, gilt quite dull but readable; light wear to corners. A Good to Very Good copy

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