“PIECES OF EIGHT! PIECES OF EIGHT!”: RARE FIRST EDITION OF STEVENSON’S TREASURE ISLAND, A BEAUTIFUL COPY

STEVENSON, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. London: Cassell, 1883. Small octavo, original red cloth. Housed in a custom chemise and half morocco clamshell box.

First edition, first issue of Stevenson’s swashbuckling yarn of piracy, mutiny and courage, “the finest tale of maritime adventure that has been told since Defoe” (Prideaux, 28), an exceptional copy, much nicer than usually found.

“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). “Here were adventure, suspense, drama, all set down by the hand of a recognizable genius” (Meigs et al., 238). 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. Issued in various colors of cloth, no priority. Beinecke 240. Prideaux 11. Gerstley Collection 22. Osborne, 1030. Gumuchian 5443. Pierpoint Morgan, Children’s Literature 241. Booklabel and half title owner signature of John William Mackail, the Scottish man of letters and famous Virgil scholar. Mackail was a professor of poetry at Oxford and also served as president of the British Academy. Additionally, he was married to Margaret Burne-Jones, whose name appears on the booklabel. Burne-Jones was a first cousin of Rudyard Kipling.

Only very faintest embrowning to unusually clean interior, cloth exceptionally fresh and lovely. A most desirable copy in nearly fine condition, rarely found like this.