Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by MELVILLE, Herman - 1851

New York: Harper and Brothers, 1851. First Edition. Hardcover. A firm, unsophisticated copy of Melville's masterpiece, preceded by a three-volume London edition a month earlier. The American edition was 3000 copies, but the book sold poorly, and many unsold copies were reputedly destroyed in a warehouse fire in 1854. BAL 13664. GROLIER AMERICAN 60. Octavo (19cm); Blanck's first binding of slate A cloth with embossed circular publisher's device to front and rear boards; [i-xxiv], [1]-[635] + 6pp. publisher's ads. Original orange-coated endpapers. A good, unrestored copy. Spine has faded to tan, with consequent dulling to gilt; small losses to cloth at spine ends, joints and board edges, with one small, old inexpert repair to cloth at base of spine. Front free endpaper with a ca. 1/2" abrasion, apparently the result of an ill-advised erasure, which has further suffered an undignified later attempt at re-coloring. Scattered foxing within, but text generally fresh and tight. Bookplate of Miriam Dyer-Bennett to front pastedown. In custom morocco and marbled paper clamshell box.