THE JUMPING FROG

New York and London: Harper & Brothers, 1903. Near fine.. Early 20th-century finely printed edition of the story that first brought Twain fame, exceptionally scarce with his signature on the front pastedown. Twain's first published works, as young as sixteen, were brief but hilarious retellings of events he had witnessed, a formula he would carry into his earliest professional work as a journalist out West. Invited by the famous comedian writer Artemus Ward to contribute a humorous story to one of his collections, Twain sent a piece across the country only to have it left out because it arrived too late. That piece, a riff on the well-known story in the West about a confidence man getting conned in a frog leaping contest, ended up in the newspaper NEW YORK SATURDAY PRESS instead - and took off. Newspapers across the country picked up the story and Twain became a literary sensation. In 1867, Twain published it as the leading story in his first book: in a run of only 1000 copies, it sold out within 5 days. This early 20th-century edition is unusual and exceptionally desirable signed by him. 8'' x 5''. Original red pictorial cloth with frog design stamped in brown, white, and green. Black and white frontispiece. [4], 66 pages. Signed by Twain in black ink on front pastedown. Spine sunned, a bit of rubbing to spine ends and corners, else fresh and clean: hinges strong, interior beautiful.