Moby Dick
by Herman Melville
- Used
- Good
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Good
- Seller
-
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Synopsis
Melville's classic was first published in England as three volumes titled The Whale in October 1851. Slow sales of Melville's previously books convinced Publisher L. Richard Bentley to reduce the printing to only 500 copies, and of that, only 300 sold in the first 4 months. The remaining unbound sheets were bound in a cheaper casing in 1852, and in 1853 there were still enough remaining sheets to again bind into an even cheaper edition. Melville changed the title to Moby Dick a month later, November 1851, when the American Version was published in one volume by Harper & Brothers in NY. Of the 2,951 copies printed, 125 were review copies. About 1,500 sold in 11 days, but then sales slowed to less than 300 the next year. After two years copies of the first edition were still available, and almost 300 were destroyed in the 1853 fire of Harper's warehouse. Most of the first editions have orange end-papers, although there are 2 known volumes with rare white-endpapers. Because of Nineteenth-century printing practices, and the time-lapse between when the first-editions were published and Melville became collectible, oxidized paper, bumped and chipped spines, and brittle wrappers are all common for even the most expensive and collectible of these books, which can sell from $35,000 to $100,000. Also, expect heavy wear and maybe even minor repair. Another collectible edition is the 1930 first edition illustrated by Rockwell Kent, a three-volume set published by the Lakeside Press with acetate dust jackets in an aluminum slipcase. These range in value from $9,000 to $11,000. A total of 3,215 copies of Moby-Dick were sold during Melville's life (he died in 1891). Today, Moby-Dick is considered one of the greatest American novels. -
Read More: Identifying first editions of Moby Dick
Reviews
Why would this be 600 since the original was in 1851?
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Details
- Bookseller
- Green Mountain Books, LLC (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 200617-M-1
- Title
- Moby Dick
- Author
- Herman Melville
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Longriver Press
- Place of Publication
- New Jersey
- Date Published
- 1976
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- Classic Literature
Terms of Sale
Green Mountain Books, LLC
Orders usually ship within 3 business days. Shipping costs listed is for a book weighing 2 lbs or less. Shipped uninsured media mail. Additional postage is required for books over 2 lbs, oversize books, multi-volume sets, insurance request, or if shipped out of the United States. Orders over $150 are shipped with USPS Priority or FedEx with insurance and subject to additional shipping costs.
About the Seller
Green Mountain Books, LLC
About Green Mountain Books, LLC
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Cracked
- In reference to a hinge or a book's binding, means that the glue which holds the opposing leaves has allowed them to separate,...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
- Hinge
- The portion of the book closest to the spine that allows the book to be opened and closed.