LORD JIM. A Romance. [unbound copy]

Conrad, Joseph

[still in unbound gatherings] New York: Doubleday & McClure Co., 1900. Original light green cloth decorated in dark green.

First American Edition of what is arguably Conrad's greatest work. This copy has the title page in the second and usual (cancelled) state: at the time this was being published, Doubleday & McClure was dividing into two entities (Doubleday Page and McClure Phillips), with uncertainty as to which firm would retain the rights to LORD JIM. Thus, in the first (integral) state the copyright is "1900 by Doubleday, Page & Co.", while in the cancelled state the copyright is "1899 and 1900 by Joseph Conrad." Supino A5.11.0; Cagle A5b(2).

This is a curious incompletely-bound copy, consisting of the complete casing (the usual decorated light green cloth stamped in dark green, glued onto the boards and backstrip), PLUS all 25 separate folded sheets (gatherings -- each sheet containing 16 pages of text). The gatherings have NOT been stitched together, their edges have NOT been trimmed, and the text block has NOT been affixed to the binding with endpapers or bands. (Attached to the first and last gathering is the usual two-part endpaper, with the paste-down ready to be pasted down onto the inside board.) Since the gatherings have not been trimmed, they remain unopened: one could still (with care) unfold the gathering to see the complete sheet, printed (half upside-down) on both sides. The gatherings measure 205mm by 133mm, whereas in a complete book they would be trimmed down to 199mm by 129mm.

The binding (separate from the book) is in fine, clean condition (a hint of a string-dent on each side of the spine); the gatherings are fine as well, though there is a little edge-wear along the fore-edge of the endpapers front and rear. (Since the gatherings have not been trimmed, if placed within the casing they protrude a bit.) We don't know why this copy exists in this incomplete state, but it just may be a unique copy. Item #15161

Price: $1,750.00