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Moby Dick; Or, the Whale, Deluxe Edition Hardcover - 1981

by Herman Melville; Barry Moser (Illustrator)


About this book

Melville's classic was first published in England as three volumes titled The Whale in October 1851. Slow sales of Melville's previously books convinced Publisher L. Richard Bentley to reduce the printing to only 500 copies, and of that, only 300 sold in the first 4 months. The remaining unbound sheets were bound in a cheaper casing in 1852, and in 1853 there were still enough remaining sheets to again bind into an even cheaper edition.

Melville changed the title to Moby Dick a month later, November 1851, when the American Version was published in one volume by Harper & Brothers in NY. Of the 2,951 copies printed, 125 were review copies. About 1,500 sold in 11 days, but then sales slowed to less than 300 the next year. After two years copies of the first edition were still available, and almost 300 were destroyed in the 1853 fire of Harper's warehouse. Most of the first editions have orange end-papers, although there are 2 known volumes with rare white-endpapers.

Because of Nineteenth-century printing practices, and the time-lapse between when the first-editions were published and Melville became collectible, oxidized paper, bumped and chipped spines, and brittle wrappers are all common for even the most expensive and collectible of these books, which can sell from $35,000 to $100,000. Also, expect heavy wear and maybe even minor repair. Another collectible edition is the 1930 first edition illustrated by Rockwell Kent, a three-volume set published by the Lakeside Press with acetate dust jackets in an aluminum slipcase. These range in value from $9,000 to $11,000.

A total of 3,215 copies of Moby-Dick were sold during Melville's life (he died in 1891). Today, Moby-Dick is considered one of the greatest American novels.
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From the publisher

The Arion Press Moby-Dick, published in 1979 in a limited edition of 250 copies, has been hailed as a modern masterpiece of bookmaking. It was hand set under the supervision of one of America's finest book designers and printers. The initial letters that begin each chapter were designed especially for this book and christened "Leviathan." The illustrations, of places, creatures, objects or tools, and processes connected with nineteenth-century whaling, are original boxwood engravings by Massachusetts artist Barry Moser. The text of Moby-Dick used in this edition is based on that used in the critical edition of Melville's works published by the Northwestern University Press and the Newberry Library. Now this magnificently typeset and illustrated edition of the great American novel is available for all lovers of beautiful books. This luxurious edition of Moby Dick is limited to 750 numbered copies. It is bound in cloth and slipcased in a cloth-covered box. The text is printed in two colors throughout on a 75-pound beautifully textured paper.

First Edition Identification

Melville's classic was first published by L. Richard Bentley in England in 1851 as a three-volume set entitled The Whale. Only 500 copies were printed. 

The US version, published a month later in November 1851 by Harper & Brothers, titled Moby Dick had 2,951 in the first printing. The U.S. version contained substantial textual differences even aside from the prominent change of title, including 35 passages that were wholly deleted from the English version. 

Details

  • Title Moby Dick; Or, the Whale, Deluxe Edition
  • Author Herman Melville; Barry Moser (Illustrator)
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition Limited Edition
  • Pages 600
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher University of California Press, Berkeley
  • Date November 19, 1981
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9780520045491 / 0520045491
  • Themes
    • Cultural Region: British
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 81040320
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Moby-Dick; or, the Whale [California Edition]

by Melville, Herman

  • Used
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Used - F
Edition
First Thus
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780520045491
ISBN 10
0520045491
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$1,658.00
$27.85 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981 Folio. original blue cloth (a few tiny marks to fore-edge, else as new) in slipcase (some faint handling marks); pp. xvi (last blank), 580 (last blank), with illustrations. Very heavy item (4.5 kg), additional postage may be required for international and domestic delivery. A fine copy. One of a limited deluxe edition of 750 copies.. First Thus. Hard Cover. F/In Slipcase. Illus. by Barry Moser.
Item Price
$1,658.00
$27.85 shipping to USA