Mark Twain's Library of Humor

New York: Charles L. Webster & Co, 1888. First Edition, First State. 3/4 Leather Binding. Near Fine/No Jacket as Issued. This is a handsome and important book. A first edition, first state of Mark Twain's (Samuel L. Clemens') compilation of the best in humor at the time of the late 19th Century. The book is in near fine 3/4 bound in heavy dark burgundy leather and marbled covers with gold gilt on the top edge. The book is very square and solid with wear at the corners and touches of surface wear on the creases and the hinge in the middle of the text block is just starting but remains solid. Overall natural darkening to the page edges but no signsof foxing that we found. A previous owner's gift inscription "Clarence R. Chaney from Bessie, Christmas 1941" on the page previous to the half-title page and a corresponding Chaney family book label (partially torn) on the front endpaper. A heavy book, the volume is 2 1/2" thick and includes works by over 50 authors. With its Index of Titles in order of appearance (rather than alphabetical) and with credit to Twain for "Warm Hair" on page 8, this is clearly the first state of this wonderful book. Featuring works by Mark Twain (a front note from Twain states that his editors controlled the content, otherwise all the works in the book would have been his) and a wide range of important authors including Uncle Remus, Brett Harte, Washington Irving, Ambrose Bierce, Josh Billings, Mary Mapes Dodge, Artemus Ward, and Charles Dudley Warner. Twain's contributions include "The Jumping Frog," "Nevada Nabobs in New York," Cannibalism in the Cars," "Dick Baker's Cat," and many others. A handsome Twain First Edition.