ALMAYER'S FOLLY. A Story of an Eastern River.
[the leaves still unopened] London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1895. Original dark green cloth.
First Edition of Joseph Conrad's first book. "In the absence of publisher's records, the number of copies printed has been estimated to be between 600 and 3000, with approximately 1100 being the most likely number" [Supino]. Conrad, after meeting the real "Olmeijer" in East Borneo in 1887, gradually produced the manuscript of this book over the six years 1889-1895. He submitted it to Unwin for consideration in their "Pseudonym Library", using the pseudonym "Kamudi" (Malayan for "rudder") -- enclosing the return postage, so sure was he of its rejection. However, Unwin's reader Edward Garnett saw the manuscript's promise and accepted it for non-pseudonymous publication.
This copy is in the first state (as are most copies), with the letters missing from the last two lines of page 110. The leaves of this copy, though untrimmed on the fore- and bottom edges as issued, are still unopened (i.e. un-read). Condition would be fine, except that there is some cracking of the delicate endpapers; as always, there is slight browning of the olive green cloth on the spine. ALMAYER'S FOLLY is scarce in this condition. Supino A1.1.0; Cagle A1a.1. Housed in a morocco-backed slipcase with inner chemise. Item #15116
Price: $1,850.00