Treasure Island - 1883

London: Cassell & Company, 1883. First edition, first issue with "dead man's chest" not capitalized on pp. 2 and 7; The first letter for "rain" or "vain" in the last line of p. 40 is broken so we can't tell which state it is; the "a" is not present in line 6 of p. 63; the "8" is not present in the pagination on p. 83; the "7" is larger and bolder in pagination on p. 127; the period is lacking following "opportunity" in line 20 of p. 178; "worst" is mispelled as "worse" in the third line of p 197. Treasure Island is listed as having 304 pages on p. 2 of the publisher's advertisements. Octavo (7 1/2 x 4 7/8 inches; 191 x 124 mm). viii, 292, [8 pp. advertisements, "dated 5R-12.83."] pp. Frontispiece map of Treasure Island, printed in four colors and has the original tissue guard. Only 2000 copies of this first book edition published and bound in a variety of cloth colors, no priority.

Original rare royal blue diagonal fine-ribbed cloth with covers ruled in blind and spine ruled and lettered in gilt. Original black coated endpapers. Previous owner's bookplate on front pastedown. Contemporary ink inscription to bookplate owner Rev. Edward D. Elam on half-title. Headcap, tailcap and corners slightly bumped and rubbed. Spine slightly darkened and boards with some light spots. A few instances of finger smudging and page 137 rough opened at top margin, not affecting text. Still a near fine copy. Housed in a chemise and quarter blue morocco slipcase.

"Treasure Island established itself as a classic, drawing plaudits from the widest range of literary sensibilities. In 1890 W.B. Yeats wrote to tell [Stevenson] that the book was the only one in which his seafaring grandfather had ever taken any pleasure and that he reread it on his deathbed with infinite satisfaction. Jack London, in so many ways RLS's true spiritual heir, declared: 'His Treasure Island will be a classic to go down with Robinson Crusoe, Through the Looking Glass and The Jungle Books'" (Frank McLynn, Robert Louis Stevenson, p. 203).

Beinecke 240-241. Gumuchian 5443. Morgan Library, Early Children's Books and Their Illustration, 206. Osborne Collection II, p. 1030. Prideaux 11.

HBS 68739.

$15,000.