“THE SUDDEN, MORTAL JAB OF AN ICE PICK”: RARE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION, FIRST ISSUE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE, IN ORIGINAL WRAPPERS

STEVENSON, Robert Louis. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. London: Longman's, Green, 1886. Octavo, original printed paper wrappers. Housed in a custom chemise and half morocco slipcase. $13,000.

Scarce first English edition, first issue, of one of the finest genre novels ever written, in the original printed paper wrappers (with the date corrected in ink from 1885 to 1886, as called for).

"Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde may be read for its style alone. Many critics have objected to its brevity… but Henry James called the book 'a masterpiece of concision… If Dracula leaves one with the sensation of having been struck down by a massive, 400-page wall of horror, then Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is like the sudden, mortal jab of an ice pick" (Stephen King). "Until 1886 [Stevenson] had never earned much… by his pen. But in that year came two successes which greatly increased his reputation, and with it his power to earn. These were The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Kidnapped. The former, founded partly on a dream, is a striking apologue of the double life of man. Published as a 'shilling shocker,' a form at that time in fashion, it became instantly popular; was quoted from a thousand pulpits; was translated into German, French, and Danish; and the names of its two chief characters have passed into the common stock of proverbial allusion" (DNB). "The date on the front cover was originally 1885, but the last figure was altered by pen into 6. It had been intended to publish the book in December 1885, 'but when it was ready the bookstalls were already full of Christmas numbers, etc., and the trade would not look at it' (Mr. Charles Longman in Balfour's Life, ii:14). The publication was therefore postponed till January 1886" (Prideaux 17). With final leaf of advertisements (K8), often not present. Beinecke 349. Gerstley 30A. Prideaux 17.

Text clean and fresh; wrappers with minor wear and soiling, slight chipping to spine and signs of a previous repair to back hinge. Light rubbing to slipcase. An extremely good copy, in the scarce original wrappers.