STEVENSON, Robert Louis | Treasure Island First Edition of ìTreasure Island,îìThe Finest Tale of Maritime Adventure that has been ToldsinceDefoe Produced His Great Romanceî (Prideaux)STEVENSON, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. London: Cassell & Company, 1883.First edition, first issue, with the following points: ìDead Manís Chestî is not capitalized on pp. 2 and 7; with ìrainî for ìvainî in the last line of p. 40; the ìaî is not present in line 6 of p. 63; the ì8î is not present in the pagination on p. 83; the ì7î is bolder than the other figures and slightly raised in the pagination on p. 127; the period is lacking following ìopportunityî in line 20 of p. 178; with ìworseî for ìworstî in line 3 of p. 197. Octavo (7 1/2 x 4 3/4 inches; 190 x 121 mm.). viii, 292 pp. plus 8 pp. advertisements, ìdated 5R-1083î (with Treasure Island listed on p. 2 as having ì304 pagesî). Frontispiece map of Treasure Island, printed in three colors, with tissue guard.Original olive green diagonal fine-ribbed cloth with covers ruled in blind and spine ruled and lettered in gilt. Original black coated endpapers. Just slightly skewed, the absolute minimum of wear to corners and extremities, rear inner hinge expertly and almost invisibly repaired, small abrasion at foot of front pastedown. Some very occasional browning and soiling. Paper flaw to the lower blank margin of L3 (pp. 165/166). Previous ownerís ink inscription on front flyleaf: ìT.E. Freeman/Xmas Eve. 1883.î An exceptionally fine copy, with the gilt on the spine bright and fresh. The Bradley Martin copy, with the bookplate of Mildred Greenhill on the front pastedown. Chemised in a quarter green morocco slipcase.Treasure Island was published on 14 November 1883, so it is most likely that the first issues had October advertisements (ì5R-1083î). Copies are known with July advertisements (ì5G-783î), and it is likely that the binder used these when he ran out of the October advertisements. There are also copies known with December advertisements (ì5R-1283î). In this copy, the ì7î in the pagination on p. 127 has been hand stamped in a larger font and darker ink, and, as with other copies of the first issue, the ì8î is not present in the pagination on p. 83 (copies are known with the ì8î present on p. 83 and with the ì7î missing from the pagination on p. 127).Stevenson supposedly raced through the first fifteen chapters of his soon to be classic tale. He would delight his family and friends by reading out loud the chapters of his new novel and according to one visitor Stevenson ìread it beautifully: recalling how he swayed rhythmically while reading it aloudÖhis fine voice, clear and keenî (McLynn, Robert Louis Stevenson, p. 197). Stevenson himself had no doubt of the merit of his book as he writes: ìIf this donít fetch the kids, why, they have gone rotten since my day. Will you be surprised to hear that it is about Buccaneers, that it begins in the ëAdmiral Benbowí public-house on the Devon coast, that itís all about a map, and a treasure and a mutiny, and a derelict ship, and a fine old Squire TrelawnyÖwith the chorus ëYo-ho-ho and a bottle of rumíî (McLynn, Robert Louis Stevenson, pp. 198-199). ìTreasure Island established itself as a classic, drawing plaudits from the widest range of literary sensibilities. In 1890 W.B. Yeats wrote to tell [Stevenson] that the book was the only one in which his seafaring grandfather had ever taken any pleasure and that he reread it on his deathbed with infinite satisfaction. Jack London, in so many ways RLSís true spiritual heir, declared: ëHis Treasure Island will be a classic to go down with Robinson Crusoe, Through the Looking Glass and The Jungle Booksííí (Frank McLynn, Robert Louis Stevenson, p. 203).Beinecke 240-241. Gumuchian 5443. Morgan Library, Early Childrenís Books and Their Illustration, 206. Osborne Collection II, p. 1030. Prideaux 11. Princeton 22. 1883 first edition Price: USD 32,500.00 other currencies   order no. 00036    inquire

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