[Rarebooks] FS: Thoreau's First Book, a copy once in his own library

[Charles Agvent]

THOREAU, Henry David. A WEEK ON THE CONCORD AND MERRIMACK RIVERS. 
Boston: Ticknor & Fields, 1862. First Edition. Original brown Z cloth, 
Binding D, no priority. BAL 20104 does not note this binding in brown 
cloth though Borst A1.1.a does. The famous Second Issue of Thoreau's 
first book and, other than WALDEN, the only of his books published in 
his lifetime. There were 1000 sets of sheets printed at the author's 
expense in 1849. The book did not sell well, and in 1853 the 706 
remaining copies (256 bound copies and 450 in sheets) were shipped back 
to Thoreau, prompting the author to remark, "I have now a library of 
nearly nine hundred volumes, over seven hundred of which I wrote 
myself." Over the years Thoreau occasionally sold or gave away copies. 
Ticknor & Fields purchased the remaining 145 bound copies and 450 
unbound copies from Thoreau in 1862, publishing the book with a cancel 
title page and leaving the final leaf advertising the upcoming 
publication of WALDEN intact. As has often been noted, whoever owns a 
copy of this issue owns a copy once in Thoreau's library. This issue is 
scarcer than the First Issue of 1849, and with its personal association 
with Thoreau, it is quite desirable. Owner name of Elizabeth dated 1865 
on the front blank along with the ink name "E. B. Simpkins" on the dark 
brown front endpaper, possibly a relation to Emerson's publisher Samuel 
G. Simpkins. Contents clean, a couple of signatures slightly pulled. 
Spine tips frayed with about a 1/4" piece lacking at the head not 
affecting any lettering, gilt quite dull but readable; light wear to 
corners. A Good to Very Good copy. (#015687)        $2,000.00

http://www.charlesagvent.com/shop/agvent/015687.html?id=FdwbRhYL

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