A week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers.
Boston & Cambridge: James Munroe & Company. New York: George P. Putnam, [et al.], 1849. First edition, and one of only 1000 copies printed at Thoreau's own risk, 12mo, pp. 413, [3] including the advertisement leaf for Walden; a bit of slight chipping at the top of the spine, bottom of the spine slightly cracked (but the imprint "Munroe & Co." is preserved); otherwise, a very good, bright and sound copy, in BAL's brown cloth binding 'A' ("trade binding," no priority) with no cracking of the hinges. A better copy than most. Thoreau's first book, published at his own risk, and with Walden, the only book published in his lifetime. The book did not sell well and the publisher returned a remainder of 706 copies to him in October of 1853 which prompted Thoreau to write: "I have now a library of nearly nine hundred volumes, over seven hundred of which I wrote myself. Is it not well that the author should behold the fruits of his labor?" By April of 1862, Thoreau had disposed of 111 of these copies leaving just 595. These he sold to Ticknor and Fields, and 450 of these were subsequently reissued with a new title page, dated 1862. BAL 20104; Borst A1.1a. Item #42282
Price: $12,500.00
