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Moby-Dick; or, The Whale is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is the sailor Ishmael’s narrative of the obsessive quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, for revenge on Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale that on the ship’s previous voyage bit off Ahab’s leg at the knee. A contribution to the literature of the American Renaissance, Moby-Dick was published to mixed reviews, was a commercial failure, and was out of print at the time of the author’s death in 1891. Its reputation as a “Great American Novel” was established only in the 20th century, after the centennial of its author’s birth. William Faulkner said he wished he had written the book himself, and D. H. Lawrence called it “one of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world” and “the greatest book of the sea ever written”. Its opening sentence, “Call me Ishmael”, is among world literature’s most famous.
Below is a recent realized price for a Herman Melville Moby-Dick 1851 1st US edition item. We at Nate D. Sanders Auctions can obtain up to these amounts or more for you:
Herman Melville Moby-Dick 1851 1st US Edition. Sold for over $10,000.
Here is the title page, first American edition of Moby-Dick:
Nate D. Sanders Auctions has sold the similar following memorabilia:
1851 1st/1st Melville`s “Moby Dick”
“Moby Dick; or The Whale” by Herman Melville. New York: Harper & Brothers: 1851. First edition, first state. 635pp. with original orange endpapers. A masterwork, and a book collector’s necessity. From its indelible first line, “Call me Ishmael,” to its last, Melville’s singular novel establishes his authority as one of the literary masters of the nineteenth or any century. One of only 2,800 first edition copies published, this volume remains extremely rare as many were destroyed in an 1851 Harper’s warehouse fire. Complete with all leaves for first edition, first state; two flyleaves in the front, 3 at rear along with 6pp. of book ads; title page, dedication page, 2pp. contents, 1p. fore title, 2pp. etymology, 14pp. extracts. Volume measures approximately 5.75″ x 7.75″. Previous owner’s ink inscription to front free endpaper. Overall toning and foxing to interior. Very good, professionally restored condition. Sold for $15,000.
1851 Moby Dick First Edition/ First Printing
Scarce first edition of Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick.” New York: Harper and Brothers: 1851. First American edition. A masterwork, and a book collector’s necessity. From its indelible first line, “Call me Ishmael,” to its last, Melville’s singular novel establishes his authority as one of the literary masters of the nineteenth or any century. Handsome volume is housed in custom quarter-leather blue clamshell case. Octavo hardcover has been rebound in dark green leather; otherwise, near fine condition. Sold for $12,750.
Exceedingly Rare First Printing Dust Jacket of “The Great Gatsby” — Scarce Jacket Houses First Printing of the Classic Novel
Rare first edition, first printing of one of the most desired books in the history of literature, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”, with the nearly impossible to find first printing dust jacket, showing the lowercase “j” in “Jay Gatsby” on the rear flap hand-corrected in ink, indicative of the first printing. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1925. Designed by artist Francis Cugat, the dust jacket echoes the romantic tone of the novel, with hints of loss and opulence at its core, showing a pair of feminine eyes, with two nude figures in her irises, gazing over a Coney Island carnival. Fitzgerald’s reaction to the jacket was captured in a 1924 letter to editor Maxwell Perkins, “For Christ’s sake, don’t give anyone that dust jacket you’re saving for me. I’ve written it into the book.” It is perhaps one of the few instances where the jacket design actually influenced the novel, and is one of the scarcest first printing jackets in modern literature.
For the book itself, every first printing point is present: 1925 printed on title page; Charles Scribner’s Sons logo appears on the copyright page with no subsequent printing statements; “chatter” appears on page 60; “northern” appears on page 119; “it’s” printed on line 16 of page 165; “sick in tired” found on page 205; “Union Street station” mistyped on line 7-8 of page 211. Bound in teal cloth boards with title and author’s name blind-stamped to front board and gilt lettering to spine. Book runs 218pp., and measures 5.5″ x 7.75″. Minor shelf wear and discoloration to half-title page, overall in very good plus condition for book. Light chipping to spine of jacket, and small losses on spine and upper front portion expertly restored, as well as light edgewear. Also in very good plus condition. Housed in custom blue morocco slipcase. A very seldom-encountered true first printing of an enduring classic. Sold for $84,000.
Harry Potter Philosopher’s Stone 1st Printing Hardback
The most coveted book in the Harry Potter canon, the first edition, first printing hardback of J.K. Rowling’s first novel, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. This book is one of only 500 hardback copies published in the first printing, more scarce and collectible than the softcover published at the same time. Sold for $53,550.
Rare first edition, first printing of one of the most desired books in the history of literature, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ”The Great Gatsby,” published by Charles Scribner’s Sons: New York: 1925, with the nearly impossible to find first printing dustjacket. Every point is present: 1925 is printed on title page; Charles Scribner’s Sons logo appears on the copyright page with no subsequent printing statements; ”chatter” appears on page 60; ”northern” appears on page 119; ”it’s” is printed on line 16 of page 165; ”sick in tired” is found on page 205; ”Union Street station” is mistyped on line 7-8 of page 211. Bound in dark green cloth boards with title and author’s name blind-stamped to front board and gilt lettering to spine. Francis Cugat’s scarce original unrestored first printing dustjacket has the lowercase ”j” in ”jay Gatsby” on the back panel hand-corrected in ink. Sold for $50,000.
Ayn Rand first edition, signed copy of “Anthem.”
Alice O’Connor (born Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum; February 2, [O.S. January 20] 1905 – March 6, 1982), better known by her pen name Ayn Rand (/aɪn/), was a Russian-American writer and philosopher. She is known for her fiction and for developing a philosophical system she named Objectivism. Born and educated in Russia, she moved to the United States in 1926. She wrote a play that opened on Broadway in 1935. After two early novels that were initially unsuccessful, she achieved fame with her 1943 novel, The Fountainhead. In 1957, Rand published her best-known work, the novel Atlas Shrugged. Afterward, until her death in 1982, she turned to non-fiction to promote her philosophy, publishing her own periodicals and releasing several collections of essays.
Hardcover with dustjacket. Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, LTD.: 1953. Copy given to Nathaniel Branden, her purported protege and lover. Signed and inscribed by Rand in blue ink, “To Barbara and Nathan – – who are now fully my children – to mark your first six-months wedding anniversary – Ayn / July 14, 1953.” Book, which measures 6″x 8.5″, runs 105pp. Thinly-veiled sci-fi-ish allegory supports Rand’s classic Objectivist thesis regarding the subjugation of the ego for the greater whole of society. Dust jacket in near fine condition with minor chips at top. Slight cloth board spotting and very mild toning to interior. A near-perfect signed Ayn Rand first edition copy. Our most expensive Ayn Rand first edition that we have handled. Sold for $22,500.
J.K. Rowling Signed First Edition, First Printing Harry Potter Signed Book — “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” — With PSA/DNA COA
Extremely rare J.K. Rowling signed first edition, first printing Harry Potter signed book: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” Bloomsbury: London: 1997. The author signs the dedication page “To Bryony / with best wishes / JK Rowling”. A true first edition, it features the number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page, and the first printing misprint on page 53 of “1 wand” listed twice, as well as the Wendy Cooling cover quote: “A terrific read and a stunning first novel”. Indeed, this first of Rowling’s wildly successful Harry Potter book series was published later in the U.S. under the title “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Its film adaption became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Issued as a paperback, novel runs 223pp. and measures 5″ x 8″. Toning to leaves and edges. Rubbing to spine edges and creasing to hinges, else near fine. With PSA/DNA COA. Sold for $17,000.
First Edition Set of Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” — “Fellowship of the Ring” & “Return of the King” Are First Printings; “Two Towers” Is Second Printing — All Three Are Near Fine
Very rare first edition, early printing set of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1954 & 1955. All three are in extraordinarily near fine condition for both the books and their original dust jackets. “The Fellowship of the Ring” is a first edition, first printing (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954) with map attached to rear flyleaf. Publisher’s red cloth with gilt spine titles. With signature mark “4” at the bottom of page 49. Original dust jacket priced “21s net”. “The Two Towers” is a first edition, second printing (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954) with map attached to rear flyleaf. Publisher’s red cloth with gilt spine titles. Original dust jacket priced “21s net”. “The Return of the King” is a first edition, first printing (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1955) with map attached to rear flyleaf. Signature mark “4” present on page 49, and all lines of type sag in the middle. Publisher’s red cloth with gilt spine titles. Original dust jacket priced “21s net”. All measure 5.75″ x 9″ with top edges red. A beautiful set with only minor edge wear, toning to endpapers and very light wear to jackets. One of the nicest “Lord of the Rings” sets available. Sold for $14,588.
James Joyce Autograph and an Henri Matisse Autograph in a Scarce Limited Edition of “Ulysses”
Scarce copy of “Ulysses” rare book by James Joyce, illustrated by Henri Matisse. New York: The Limited Editions Club: 1935. Number 297 of a limited edition run of 1500 copies. One of only 250 such copies signed by both Joyce and Matisse. Boldly signed by the author and illustrator on limitation page. Full brown buckram boards with gilt embossing to front cover and backstrip. Large octavo measures 9″ x 11.5″. Volume runs 420pp. with an introduction by Stuart Gilbert and illustrations by Henri Matisse including 20 reproductions of preliminary drawings and six original soft-ground etchings. In 1935 George Macy, founder of the fledgling Limited Editions Club, made the bold decision to commission Matisse to illustrate Joyce’s controversial and previously banned masterpiece, “Ulysses.” Matisse, understanding that Joyce’s work parodied the original eighteen episodes of the “Odyssey,” chose to create his 26 full-page illustrations as actual illustrations of Homer’s original work. Matisse later signed all 1500 of Macy’s limited edition, however, as legend has it, when Joyce realized that Matisse had been working from Homer’s “Odyssey” rather than his novel, he refused to sign any more than the 250 copies he had already signed making this double-signed edition exceedingly rare. Rare book without original slipcase, else fine condition. Sold for $14,460.
James Joyce “Ulysses” First Edition From 1922 — #877 of the 1,000 Copies in the Rare First Edition
James Joyce’s magnum opus “Ulysses”, the first edition limited to 1,000 copies, of which this is #877 — one of the 750 copies printed on handmade paper in its distinct teal paper wrappers, here bound into contemporary half-linen boards. Paris: Shakespeare and Company, 1922. Interestingly, the date of publication for “Ulysses” was intended for Joyce’s birthday, 2 February 1922, but only two copies were printed that day, both from the batch of 750 copies printed on handmade paper, of which this is one. Following later in February were more of the 750 copies before the copies 1-250 were printed; therefore, although the 750 run is numerically higher, it actually precedes the others in printing priority. Book measures 7.5″ x 9.5″ and spans 732pp., with prospectus advertising the novel’s publication “in the Autumn of 1921”, affixed to front free endpaper. Newspaper photograph of Dublin also taped to front pastedown. Separation starting to front joint, but book itself, contained between teal wrappers is very good to near fine. One of the most influential books of 20th century modernist literature. Sold for $11,025.
First Edition, Third Printing of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Second Novel, “The Beautiful and Damned” — With a Charming Inscription to Actor Edward Everett Horton
Signed and inscribed first edition, third printing of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Beautiful and Damned.” New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons: 1922. Fitzgerald’s second novel paints a vivid portrait of the Eastern elite during the Jazz Age in America. Copy is inscribed by Fitzgerald on the front free endpaper: “This book oddly enough is responsible from its title for the phrase ‘beautiful and dumb.’ I doubt if it has any other distinction. For Edward Everett Horton from F. Scott Fitzgerald / Encino 1939.” In publisher’s original green cloth boards with some soiling. Includes a later printing dustjacket from the A.L. Burt edition with minor wear. Very good condition. Sold for $10,781.
Hammett’s “The Thin Man” Inscribed 1st Edition
Scarce signed and inscribed copy of “The Thin Man” by Dashiell Hammett. New York: Alfred A. Knopf: 1934. First edition, first printing with red variant dust jacket with front flap reviews. Boldly inscribed, “For Dan and Peggy / with my best regards / Dashiell Hammett / New York / Sept. 23, 1934.” A rare copy of Hammett’s hardboiled detective novel which became the basis for the successful film series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. Minor fading and soiling to decorative green cloth boards (oxidation of green dye that was used in first edition printings has resulted in light green cloth boards). Moderate wear to unclipped dust jacket. Overall, very good condition. Sold for $9,600.
Ian Fleming Signed First Edition, First Impression of “Goldfinger” in Original Dust Jacket — Near Fine Condition — With University Archives COA
Pristine first edition, first impression of “Goldfinger”, signed by author Ian Fleming without inscription, housed in its original dust jacket with 15s. net price intact. London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. Considered the finest novel in the James Bond canon, Fleming’s large, bold signature appears on the front free endpaper in blue ballpoint, inside the famous boards of a skull with $50 gold coins for eyes. Book is near fine with no significant flaws, housed in a near fine jacket, and then further housed in a custom clamshell case. With University Archives COA. A must have addition for the Bond aficionado. Sold for $9,450.
Dashiell Hammett First Edition The Thin Man
Dashiell Hammett The Thin Man first edition signed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf: 1934. First edition, first printing rare book. Hardcover sans dustjacket. Blue ink inscription on ffep reads: “For Paul Hollister / with best regards / Dashiell Hammett / New York / January 6, 1934.” First printing copy of the very first in Hammett’s iconic series of Nick and Nora detective books, which in turn inspired various movie adaptations, including those starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. Book, measuring 5″ x 7.5″, runs 260pp. Inscription bold and legible, but suffers slightly from ink bleed. Cloth boards feature a stylish theater mask printed in blue ink on the front cover and excellent red and blue spine design. A large but light stain on the front cover and some shelf wear to bottom edges, very mild interior toning, but overall bright. An excellent copy in very good condition. Sold for $9,433.
Scarce Signed Copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ”The Great Gatsby”
Coveted signed copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece novel, ”The Great Gatsby.” Modern Library: New York, 1934, which included the first appearance of the author’s new introduction. Signed and inscribed by Fitzgerald to actor Ned Griffith: ”For Ned Griffith / from his friend / F. Scott Fitzgerald / Hollywood 1939”. Fitzgerald’s new introduction to ”Gatsby” reads in part: ”…I think it is an honest book, that is to say, that one used none of one’s virtuosity to get an effect, and, to boast again, one soft-pedalled the emotional side to avoid the tears leaking from the socket of the left eye…” In original publisher’s blue cloth boards with gilt lettering to spine, though sun-faded in spots. The Modern Library torchbearer emblem is stamped in gilt on front board and the endpapers are printed in orange. With a ”Stanley Rose Bookshop” ticket affixed to rear pastedown. Lower corner of front board is bumped and a tiny .25” hole appears to lower corner of front free endpaper; overall, book is in very good condition. Includes original dustjacket in fair condition, with price clipped, significant chips and some paper loss. An incredibly rare signed copy of Fitzgerald’s great novel, with a still bold inscription and signature. Provenance from Heritage Auctions in 2011. Sold for $9,375.
Louisa May Alcott signed ”Little Women,” published by Roberts Brothers: Boston 1880. Impossible to find, the author’s signature within her masterpiece reads: ”L.M. Alcott” upon the fly-leaf. An Alcott signed instance of ”Little Women” has not been sold at auction in over 4 decades. First published in 1869, Alcott’s spellbinding novel about four sisters coming of age in the Civil War era has since become a classic. This edition is bound in hunter green cloth boards with gilt and black lettering and design. All edges gilt. Measures 7” x 8.5”. Surface loss to exterior corners and edges. Cracking to interior front hinge, with detached front free endpaper. A bookplate affixed to the front pastedown indicates this volume was gifted to the Brookline Public Library in 1917. In addition, the library’s perforated label appears at the bottom of the title page. A news clipping of Alcott’s obituary has been affixed to integral blanks. A label affixed to the rear pastedown reads: ”This book is for use in the library building only” and a barcode label has been partially removed from the rear free endpaper, else very good. With PSA/DNA COA. Sold for $8,908.
Lovely first edition set of Mark Twain’s ”Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and ”Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, bound in publisher’s rarer and generally more desirable blue cloth with gilt accenting. ”Tom Sawyer” is a first edition, second printing (Hartford: American Publishing, 1876) while ”Huckleberry Finn” is a first edition, first printing (New York: Charles L. Webster, 1885). ”Tom Sawyer” printing points include half-title and frontis on same leaf, and no type damage on ”furniture to” on last line of page 17, found in the 3rd and later printings. One of only 748 copies with all edges gilt. All first printing points for ”Huckleberry Finn” are present including the most important table cloth visible underneath the bust of Twain with ”Heliotype Printing Co.” imprint. Both books measure 7” x 8.75”. Light rubbing and shelf wear to both and some internal foxing. ”Tom Sawyer” is in very good condition with the front hinge starting. ”Huckleberry Finn” is in very good plus condition. Internally, both are clean and free of any writing. A very attractive set with the blue cloth still bold and vibrant. Sold for $8,750.
John Steinbeck “Cup of Gold” 1st Edition
First printing of John Steinbeck’s first book, “Cup of Gold”. New York: McBride, 1929. One of only 1,537 copies printed, this volume still retains the very rare unclipped first edition dust jacket, showing the original price of $2.50. First edition has matching dates of 1929 on the title and copyright pages, and with “First Published, August, 1929″ at the top of the copyright page. Measures 5.5″ x 8”. Very handsome copy is bound in yellow-gold cloth stamped in black, with top edge blue. Very light soiling and wear to book, otherwise near fine. Dust jacket is restored for display by noted conservator John Pofelski, otherweise near fine condition. Sold for $8,743.
First Edition, First Printing of Robert Louis Stevenson’s ”Treasure Island” in Near Fine Condition — With Check Signed by Stevenson to His Stepson & Co-Author S. Lloyd Osbourne
Robert Louis Stevenson’s first edition, first printing of his classic ”Treasure Island”. London, Paris & New York: Cassel & Co, Ltd., 1883. With all first printing points present: ”dead man’s chest” not capitalized on pp. 2 and 7; ”rain” for ”vain” in the last line of p. 40; the ”a” is not present in line 6 on p. 63; the ”7” is bolder and slightly raised in the pagination on p. 127; lacking the period following ”opportunity” in line 20 of p. 178; ”worse” rather than ”worst” in line 3 on page 197; frontispiece map in four colors. Octavo measures 5.25” x 7.75” with four pages of ads at rear dated ”5R-1083” and incorrectly listing ”Treasure Island” as having 304 pages, as called for in the first printing. In publisher’s full green cloth with gilt spine titles, in near fine condition with only the slightest overall wear, expert repair to hinges and foxing to front free endpaper and half-title page. Housed in a custom one-quarter leather clamshell box over marbled boards. Accompanying the book is a signed check from Stevenson to S. Lloyd Osbourne, Stevenson’s stepson with whom he co-authored three books. Check is dated 8 August 1887 for ”ten pounds sterling”. 8” x 3.25” check is in very good condition with toning and a line drawn through Stevenson’s signature. A lovely first printing of ”Treasure Island” with accompanying signed check. Sold for $8,400.
Signed First Edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Acclaimed Debut Novel “This Side of Paradise” — “…to write it took three months; to conceive it — three minutes; to collect the data in it — all my life…”
Rare F. Scott Fitzgerald signed first edition, third printing of “This Side of Paradise”. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons: 1920. One of approximately 500 copies with a tipped-in “Author’s Apology” leaf boldly signed in pen, “Sincerely / F. Scott Fitzgerald”. Prepared for an American Booksellers Association convention, Fitzgerald’s signed “Apology” reads: “I don’t want to talk about myself because I’ll admit I did that somewhat in this book. In fact, to write it took three months; to conceive it — three minutes; to collect the data in it — all my life. The idea of writing it came on the first of last July: it was a substitute form of dissipation. My whole theory of writing I can sum up in one sentence: An author ought to write for the youth of his own generation, the critics of the next, and the schoolmasters of ever afterward. So, gentlemen, consider all the cocktails mentioned in this book drunk by me as a toast to the American Booksellers Association. May, 1920″. Hardcover book, without dustjacket, is in original teal-cloth boards and measures 5.5″ x 7.5”. “S” in Fitzgerald’s “Sincerely” is slightly smudged. Very good. Sold for $8,000.
Ian Fleming “You Only Live Twice” Signed First Edition — Scarce
Ian Fleming signed first edition of “You Only Live Twice”, published by Jonathan Cape: London: 1964. Fleming’s autograph inscription appears on the front free endpaper, “To Jane From Ian Fleming”. Second printing of Fleming’s eleventh James Bond novel runs 256pp. Bound in black cloth boards with silver lettering. Measures 5.25″ x 7.5″. Light soiling and wear to boards and cocking to spine. Very good overall. Dustjacket shows toning, some paper loss to spine ends and corners, and remnants of tape repairs to verso. Very good. Housed in a black slipcase. Sold for $7,717.
First Edition, First Printing of “Lolita” by Vladimir Nobokov
First edition, first printing of Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita”. Paris: The Olympia Press, 1955. Two-volume set each measures 4.5″ x 7″. Soft green covers with “Francs : 900” to rear covers indicates first printing. After being turned down by four American publishers, Nabokov allowed The Olympia Press in Paris to print this cultural milestone, with the first printing of 5,000 copies quickly selling out. Shortly after publication, “Lolita” was banned in France for three years until 1959. Some soiling and wear to covers, with an approximate 2″ piece of paper loss on Volume II, otherwise near fine with bright interiors. Housed in a custom clamshell box. Sold for $2,188.
Consign your Herman Melville Moby-Dick 1851 1st US edition at Nate D. Sanders Auctions. Send a description and images of your item to us at [email protected].
FREE VALUATION. To buy, auction, sell or consign your Herman Melville Moby-Dick 1851 1st US edition that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).
Herman Melville Moby-Dick 1851 1st US edition