Object Details
Written by
Mark Twain, American, 1835 - 1910
Published by
Charles L. Webster and Company, American, 1884 - 1894
Printed by
J. J. Little and Company, American, founded 1867
Description
A first edition, first printing hardcover of the “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer's Comrade)” (2014.249a), by Mark Twain with a chemise (2014.249b) and slipcover (2014.249c). The front cover of the book is a dark green with the title embossed in various fonts that read, [Adventures / of / HUCKLEBERRY / FINN / (Tom Sawyer's Comrade) / BY / MARK TWAIN. / ILLUSTRATED.]. The "H" and the "F" of Huckleberry Finn are painted with gold leaf in a lettering that resembles wooden slats. The author’s name is also in gold leaf. In the bottom left corner of the front cover is an embossed illustration of a young boy wearing a straw hat, jacket and pants, with his hands in his pocket. Behind the boy is a fence in the background which has been filled in with gold leaf. The top third of the book spine is the title of the book embossed over a gold leaf square with a compass illustration to the left of the word [Finn. In the center of the spine is a floral design embossed directly above the author’s name, embossed in gold leaf [BY MARK TWAIN]. The bottom third of the spine is the publisher’s information, embossed in gold leaf, [CHARLES·L·WEBSTER / & CO.]. The back cover is blank. There is a handwritten note in pencil in top right corner of front flyleaf that reads [1st issue]. The book is inscribed in black ink in the center of second front flyleaf, [John W. Ruckman]. The frontispiece features a black-and-white illustration of Huckleberry Finn holding a shotgun in his proper left hand and a rabbit in his proper right hand. The illustration is signed on the bottom, left corner, reading [E·W·KEEMBLE / ·1884·]. The second frontispiece is a black-and-white photograph of a bust of Mark Twain in profile. The text below the image reads [Mark Twain / FROM THE BUST BY KARL GERHARDT. / Heliotype Printing Co. Boston and New York]. The book has forty-three (43) chapters, one hundred and seventy-four (174) black-and-white illustrations, and three hundred and sixty-six (366) pages. The interior pages are off-white.
A tri-fold, cardboard, dark green chemise (2014.249b), lined with an off-white interior. The chemise has extenders for the sides of book between tri-folds. A black fabric pull-tab is attached at the center of the proper left side of chemise.
A hardback slipcase, with proper left opening for the chemise-wrapped book to slide into. The exterior is covered with same green as the chemise, and the interior is lined with off-white paper. On the top third of the slipcase spine is handwritten text in black ink that reads [HUCKLEBERRY / FINN / MARK TWAIN].
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Date
1885
Object number
2014.249abc
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Type
hardcover books
Medium
ink, metal, paper and cloth on cardboard;
paper and cloth on cardboard;
paper, cloth and ink on cardboard
Dimensions
H x W x D (OVERALL): 9 1/8 × 7 5/16 × 1 3/4 in. (23.2 × 18.5 × 4.4 cm)
H x W x D (2014.249a - Closed): 8 3/4 × 7 3/16 × 1 3/16 in. (22.2 × 18.2 × 3 cm)
H x W x D (2014.249a - Open): 8 3/4 × 14 1/2 × 3 9/16 in. (22.2 × 36.8 × 9 cm)
H x W x D (2014.249b - Folded): 8 3/4 × 7 3/16 × 1 5/16 in. (22.3 × 18.3 × 3.3 cm)
H x W x D (2014.249b - Unfolded): 8 3/4 × 23 13/16 × 1/16 in. (22.3 × 60.5 × 0.1 cm)
H x W x D (2014.249c): 9 1/8 × 7 5/16 × 1 9/16 in. (23.2 × 18.5 × 4 cm)
Place printed
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted
Missouri, United States, North and Central America
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Books and Published Materials
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Topic
African American
American South
Children
Language
Literature
Race relations
Slavery
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.249abc