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THE SCARLET LETTER
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Used
- Condition
- Very good.
- Seller
-
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: John B. Alden, 1892. Very good.. Gilded Age edition in an elaborately constructed vernacular dust jacket, with an original watercolor painted onto the front panel, and incorporating silk ribbons. Though somewhat out of favor with critics after the Civil War, Hawthorne's star rose again in the last quarter of the 19th century in part due to the championing of major American voices like Henry James, who was instrumental in getting Hawthorne published as one of the first American writers in Morely's canon-making English Men of Letters series. This copy of a cheap, popular edition of Hawthorne's best-known work shows evidence an anonymous owner's interaction with the object, embellishing it with a custom protective jacket that has been beautifully hand painted - clearly a special project by the owner. A striking example of a 19th-century owner's personal book customization. 7.75'' x 4.75''. Original cloth enclosed in custom homemade dust jacket with original watercolor on front panel, threaded with two 1.25'' wide pink silk ribbons, visible on rear panel and threaded underneath front panel, with extra length on both ends to create ties at fore-edge. 238 pages. Closed tear to title page. Jacket with several chips and closed tears, one ribbon with tear at front flap.
Synopsis
The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) is considered the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'masterwork.' A work of historical fiction set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Puritan settlement of 1642-1949 itells the story of Hester Prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extra-marital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having to wear a Scarlett A on her person. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.
Reviews
On Oct 4 2010, Erhanilhan said:
An absolute criticism of Puritan society. Hawthorne portrays the hypocritic sides of the society by pointing its discrepancies and ill-interpreted biblical sides deeds. He also shows that the society was not working in the name of god as stated; instead worked for a group of people (especially powerful) that keep the lines in hand.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Type Punch Matrix
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 39497
- Title
- THE SCARLET LETTER
- Author
- Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Book Condition
- Used - Very good.
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- John B. Alden
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1892
- Keywords
- 19th century,American,Book Arts,Early DJ (pre1900)
Terms of Sale
Type Punch Matrix
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About the Seller
Type Punch Matrix
Biblio member since 2020
Silver Spring, Maryland
About Type Punch Matrix
Type Punch Matrix is a rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy. TPM is a member firm of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
This Book’s Categories
- Fiction & Literature Fiction by Region American Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Classic Literature
- Fiction & Literature Historical Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Literary Studies Literary Criticism
- Fiction & Literature Modern Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Mystery & Thrillers Mystery
- Children & Juvenile Juvenile & Young Adult Juvenile Fiction & Literature
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