"Seven Tales of the Fish Patrol" in seven issues of The Youth's Companion.
New England Edition. Boston: Perry Mason Company, seven complete bi-weekly issues dated February 16, 1905 through May 11, 1905. Original pictorial self-wrappers.
First (serial) Appearance of Jack London's book-for-boys TALES OF THE FISH PATROL, which Macmillan published in book form in September 1905. As a teenager, London had been an oyster thief in San Francisco Bay until he lost his boat to rivals; he wrote about these days in his thinly-veiled romance THE CRUISE OF THE DAZZLER. Ever the opportunist, once his pirating days were over London then turned his knowledge of the pirates to good use by joining the anti-thief Fish Patrol. He later acknowledged that much in these tales was more myth than truth, and "later admitted privately that the sole weapon he had carried with him was a table fork, and he had had to use it only once to keep off an amorous Greek sailor" [Sinclair]. Included in each issue is a large illustration by George Varian.
These issues are in very good condition, with some minor wear at the edges and along some folds (these 16 in. x 11.25 in. issues were folded for mailing); one non-London page in the last issue is torn most of the way across. This original set of serial issues is rather uncommon. Item #15799
Price: $275.00