The Jumping Frog by Twain, Mark [Clemens, Samuel]; Strothman, F. [Illustrator] - 1903: IN ENGLISH, THEN IN FRENCH, THEN CLAWED BACK INTO A CIVILIZED LANGUAGE ONCE MORE BY PATIENT, UNREMUNERATED TOIL

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1903. First Separate Edition. Hardcover. Near fine/good +. Strothman, F.. An about Very Good copy of the first separate edition, also being the FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION of this notable work by Mark Twain, in a good example of the EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND DUST JACKET. The tale first appeared in either newspaper(s) or magazine(s) and then as the title story in Twain's debut book "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and Other Sketches" (1867). That collection contained a collection of twenty-seven (27) stories and was his debut book. This small volume presents the first separate publication of the tale which also was the first appearance of the tale with illustrations. The book shows general wear and loss to the spine lettering and the front free endpaper shows a presentation inscription dated in December, 1904, as well as a stain to the margin of page 1. While the dust jacket shows wear and loss, it seldom appears at all, making this an EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE COPY.