Twain, Mark

The Great Landslide Case with: Ephemera

Berkeley, CA: The Friends of the Bancroft Library/ University of California, 1972. First Edition Thus. Softcover. Three versions of a classic early tale by Samuel Langhorne Clemens a/k/a Mark Twain (1835-1910), the canonical American humorist & author. As explained in the Introductory Note by editors Frederick Anderson & Edgar M. Branch, this story first appeared as a column-article in the San Francisco Morning (or Daily) Call newspaper on August 30, 1863 in its briefest form, during Twain's roving-journalist phase. The second printed version appeared in the Buffalo Express newspaper issue of April 2, 1870; & the third version was published in 1872 as part of the book Roughing It. All three versions are presented in this edition, with introduction & commentaries, reproductions of vintage photographs & facsimiles of the relevant pages from the first edition of Roughing It, a concluding essay on "The Three Stages of Revision," notes & even a fold-out facsimile of the front page of the August 30, 1863 issue of the Daily Call with Twain's column between rear endpaper & inner back cover. Large-format softcover original in sewn binding, a very stately special production designated as "Number 20/ in the Series of Keepsakes/ Issued by/ The Friends of the Bancroft Library/ For its Members" (third leaf). Also included loosely between the folded facsimile newspaper page & inner front cover is issue No. 52 of Bancroftiana newsletter dated April 1972, with a variety of articles & photographs concerning UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library, its members, programs & acquisitions- including a short piece on "More Mark Twain" acquisitions by the Library which does not mention this story (although this volume certainly benefited from Twain rarities reproduced & discussed therein). We believe this issue was published contemporaneously with this book, & may have originally been included in all copies. A wonderful Twain collectible that presents a gem among his embellished folk-tale-style writings in a most comprehensive, scholarly & beautiful manner. Book in very fine condition with only very slight rubbing, moderate sunning, fading & browning to front, back covers & spine; creasing & tiny bumps along edges & corners of same (which extend slightly beyond text block); very light browning to upper & side edges of text block; more pronounced & with one light stain-line at bottom edge of same. Interior very fine with only light browning at thin margins & edges between paste-downs & endpapers; tiny bumps at corners of a few page leaves. Ephemera very fine with only very slight browning & occasional spotting at blank margins of covers & page leaves. Very Fine. [Item #4436]

Price: $40.00