The Scarlet Letter, a Romance by Hawthorne, Nathaniel - 1850

Boston: Ticknor, Reed and Fields, 1850. First edition (2500 copies printed). iv, 322 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Turn of the 20th century three quarter rose morocco and marbled boards by Stikeman, t.e.g., original spine and covers bound in at the rear. Inserted 4 pp. of adverts dated "March 1 1850." Gilt morocco exlibris of J. P. Morgan on the front pastedown. Spine toned. Finely rebacked. First edition (2500 copies printed). iv, 322 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. The great novel of the Puritan American conscience. Hawthorne's most widely read work, and a book now less accessible in agreeable condition than it was a decade ago. Here in a handsomely bound copy with fine provenance.

There are no points of 'issue' for the first printing of this title, contrary to popular parlance, but simple variations (including two settings of gathering 21) and loosening of type in the press run resulting in minute variations of no relevance to questions of "issue" in a proper sense of the term. This copy exhibits Clarke's state x2 of pp. 321-2, and state A2 of pp. ii/iii. Page 21 includes the usual "reduplicate" reading.

On the recto of the rear endsheet appears, in pencil: "Wakeman Collection, purchased en bloc." Morgan bought the entirety of Wakeman's primary literary manuscript collection (including his Hawthorne manuscripts, among them the surviving portion of the manuscript of this novel) and it is unclear if this is simply someone's later comment or a related mark of provenance. BAL 7600; Clarke A16.1; Grolier American Hundred 59. Provenance: J.P. Morgan (exlibris, pencil shelfmark; deaccessioned)