THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER. A Tale for Young People of All AGes

Boston: J. R. Osgood and Co, 1882. First American edition, First Issue, with "Franklin Press" on the copyright page. Illustrated throughout with 192 illustrations. Square 8vo, publisher’s best original full sheep binding, the spine with contrasting red and black morocco lettering labels gilt, marbled endleaves, a deluxe binding offered by the publisher, one of a small number, now quite scarce. 411 pp. A handsome copy, the sheep in quite good condition with some typical rubbing and an antique skillful and unobtrusive strengthening to the hinges, the text-block clean and tight and very well preserved. THE RARE FIRST ISSUE OF THE FIRST EDITION IN ONE OF THE MOST ELUSIVE BINDING STATES, THE PUBLISHER'S DELUXE BINDING OF FULL SHEEP. Twain's timeless tale of two little boys who switch places to see how the other half lives. This is the scarcest and most expensive binding offered by the publishers and is very elusive in the marketplace.
THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER was quite unlike anything Twain had done up till that time. It is a fine adventure with a delicate vein of “Twainian” humor running throughout. Twain took up a short domicile in Montreal in an attempt to establish residency there so that he could register the copy-right in Canada, England and the United States. His past encounters with piracy led him to make this attempt.