THE CHILD OF THE CAVERN; or, Strange Doings Underground.
Translated by W. H. G. Kingston. Numerous Illustrations. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 1877. Original red cloth pictorially decorated in black and gilt, all edges gilt.
First British Edition of the tale also known as THE BLACK INDIES and as UNDERGROUND CITY. The unusual tale takes place deep in a Scottish mine, in which a mysterious "goblin" appears to live...
The peculiar wildness of Jules Verne's imagination shows with startling effect when he selects Scotland and its sober-minded people as scene and characters for his latest characteristic extravaganza. He describes a mine of fabulous wonders by and of superhuman powers, and then he has a plot that would furnish plots for several exciting novels. [from an early promotional piece cited in T&M]
The pirate publisher George Munro was the first to get out an edition (THE BLACK INDIES) in English, in his triple-columned self-wrappered "Seaside Library" in the Spring of 1877. This first British edition came out in October of that year: "Pictured on the front cover is Jack Ryan kneeling on the twenty-sixth landing down the gloomy shaft. Harfang the bird [owl] is also shown on the front cover and spine" [T&M].
This copy is in red cloth; we have also had green and brown (no priority). It is an unusually clean, bright copy, in near-fine condition (a discreet repair at the head of the spine, rear endpaper cracked). Taves & Michaluk V017; Myers 10. Item #10585
Price: $1,950.00