Treasure Island.

STEVENSON, Robert Louis.

Item Number: 34045

London: Cassell & Company, 1883.

First edition, first issue, with all the following points: “Dead Man’s Chest” not capitalized on pages 2 and 7; “rain” for “vain” on last line of page 40; “a” lacking on page 63, line 6; the “7” in the pagination of page 127 absent; period dropped from page 178, line 20 (after “opportunity”); “worse” for ‘worst’ on page 197, line 3; frontispiece map in three colors. With eight-page publisher’s catalogue dated 5R-1083 at the end, and with this title listed incorrectly as having 304 pages. Octavo, original green cloth. In near fine condition with Maggs description tipped in, and remnants of other descriptions no longer attached. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A very nice example.

“Inspired by a detailed map of an island that Stevenson and his stepson drew one rainy day, with hidden treasure and cryptic instructions reverently included… Treasure Island is best enjoyed as its author intended, simply as a good tale well told” (Silvey, 631). The serial publication in Young Folks (running through January 1882) was not especially well-received, but on its appearance in book form the following year in an edition of only 2000 copies, the story was hailed as the best tale of adventure in print. “The force of invention and vividness of narrative appealed to every reader” (DNB).