Harper's New Monthly Magazine - Volumes I through XIV Complete (14 volumes including 1851 Volume III with "The Town-Ho's Story" 1st MOBY DICK appearance)

This is a lot of the first 14 volumes of "Harper's New Monthly Magazine" from the 1850's. The highlight of the lot is 1851 volume III, which contains "The Town-Ho's Story" by Herman Melville - the first appearance in print of any part of the classic "Moby Dick." This is a complete run of 14 consecutive volumes beginning with Volume I (June 1850) and ending with Volume 14 (May 1857). All volumes contain numerous illustrations. Each volume contains 6 issues (there are 84 issues in all). Content includes both fiction and non-fiction stories, poetry, fashion and more. Published by Harper & Brothers in New York.

Volume 4, April 1852 contains the 1st serialized installment (Chapter 1) of "Bleak House" by Charles Dickens (as well as a few other stories by Dickens). Volume 12, January 1856 contains the 1st serialized installment (Chapter 1) of Dickens's "Little Dorrit."

Here are a few examples of interesting content: Ghost Stories; Scenery of the Franconia Mountains; Aboard a Sperm Whaler; Vampyres; Monticello; Freaks of Nature; Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin; Mustache Movement; The Treason of Benedict Arnold; A Duel in 1830; Little French Beggers; Panther Hunt; Prison Scene in the Reign of Terror; Soldier's First Battle; A Night among the Wolves; Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens; Cruise after and among the Cannibals; History and Incidents of the Plague in New Orleans; Ride with Kit Carson; Sketches on the Upper Mississippi; Cotton and its Cultivation; The Catskills; Andrew Jackson; Fate of the First Aeronaut; First Cigar; New York Police; Apparitions and Visions; Buccaneers of the Spanish Main; Bears and Bear Hunting; Journey through China; Cinderella - Not a Fairy Tale; George Washington; Snake Charming; Fortune-Telling; The Plague; Lion-Slayers and Man Eaters; Animal Declaration of Independence; White Hills in October; Two Days on the Railroad.

Condition:
Overall a nice lot - most of the volumes are in very good condition. Each has foxing and occasional stains to the pages. Half of the volumes have some wear at the top of the spine (cloth tears and small pieces missing). Each volume was carefully gone through - here are notable condition issues found: Vol 3 has a dark stain at the top of pages 145-288 ("Town Ho's Story" is unaffected). Vol 4 lacks the title page, the 2 contents pages are attached but loose, and has a crack at the hinge between pages vi and 1. Vol 9 - page 715 is detached. Vol 10 - pages iv & v have a 4" tear at the inner edge. Vol 11 - pages 628 & 629 are torn at the top, detached and have been "pinned" together with 2 nails. Vol 12 - the text block has separated from the spine.