"A DISTILLATION OF THE SPIRIT OF THE CALIFORNIA PIONEER"
HARTE, Francis Bret. The Luck of Roaring Camp, and Other Sketches. Boston: Fields, Osgood, 1870. 12mo, original russet cloth gilt recased, new endpapers. $1200.
First edition, first issue, of Harte’s collection of California adventures.
First appearing in the Overland Monthly, The Luck of Roaring Camp has been described as "a distillation of the spirit of the California pioneer… a tour de force" (Winterich, 90-93). First issue, without the story "Brown of Calaveras," which was added to the second printing. In addition to the title story, this collection includes "M'liss," "Tennessee's Partner," and "The Outcasts of Poker Flat." Probably fewer than 1000 copies of the first issue were printed. BAL 7246. Grolier American 76.
Only very faint marginal dampstaining. Light rubbing to extremities of original cloth. An extremely good copy. Scarce.