Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel. 2ND IMPRESSION WITH REVISED TEXT TO DUSTWRAPPER AND '2 + 2 =' by ORWELL, George - 1950

London: Secker & Warburg, 1950. ~First edition, second printing. Original pale green cloth, red lettering and decor to spine. Mild fading and toning to spine and outer edges of boards, as usual for this edition. Spine very slightly cocked. Board corners very slightly pushed in. (13.3 x 18.8cm). Top edges red, dulled. Mild foxing to rear and fore-edges. Hinges sound, endpapers uncracked at gutters. With rare original dustwrapper, worn but unfaded, unclipped, and protected in removable clear plastic sleeve. Dustwrapper edgeworn, with small loss to base and top of spine, closed tear to spine, and earlier tape repairs and reinforcements to top front cover, spine edges, and top and base rear cover. Mild soiling and small dampstain to rear dustwrapper. Orwell had died of tuberculosis, aged only 46, between the first publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four and its second printing (this edition), and the rear of the dustwrapper bears tributes written after his death, with author and critic Arthur Koestler recognising him as 'the only writer of genius among the litterateurs of social revolt between the two world wars'. Two small tape marks to inside front board, and owner's signature to front free endpaper. Light foxing to endpapers, endpages, and first and final 2pp. of text; textblock otherwise fresh and clear. Tiny tear to base of pp. 131-32 (0.4mm). Second impression of the first edition of Orwell's classic dystopian novel, in original dustwrapper (which has 'second impression' printed at the base of the rear flap.) The print run for this impression was only 5570 copies (compared to 25,575 for the 1st impression.) The second impression was altered on p.290, probably by Orwell, to show '2 + 2 =' rather than as previously '2 + 2 = 5', indicating some reason for hope amidst the bleakness of the novel's ending. ~Robust packaging. All UK orders trackable, others on request. . 1st edn, 2nd impress. Hardback. Very Good/Good+. 312pp. Binding sound, text unmarked.