Armorial Used to describe a binding bearing the coat of arms of the original owner, or with bookplates incorporating the owner’s arms.Although the name contains the word “tint”, this is a black-and-white printing process aquatint plates can often be hand colored, however. By changing the areas of the plate that are exposed and the length of time the plate is submerged in the acid bath, the engraver can obtain fine and varying shades of gray that closely resemble watercolor washes. Aquatint Copperplate process by which the plate is “bitten” by exposure to acid.A fine copy, rare in such nice condition. Interior fine, original cloth very lovely, with only extremely minor wear to spine ends, gilt exceptionally bright. Clemens, who found it morbid) and caption on page 443 reading “The St. First state, with tailpiece illustration of Twain’s head in flames on page 441 (removed in later states at the request of Mrs.

“One of Mark Twain’s most important books… It usefully supplements fictional works about the river and includes much else of value” (LeMaster & Wilson, 467). His regard for it is attested to by the fact that it is the only book that he attempted to rewrite after publication” (Rasmussen, 283, 291-2). Its early chapters especially are unrivaled in evoking the excitement of their time… According to Howells, Mark Twain regarded Life on the Mississippi as his greatest book. Housed in a custom slipcase.įirst American edition, first state, with hundreds of illustrations, many by Edmund Henry Garrett.ĭuring an 1872 visit to the Midwest, the author “was struck by the great diminution of steamboat traffic on the Ohio River and became anxious to document the steamboat era before it vanished altogether… widely regarded as both one of Mark Twain’s major works and a classic on the Mississippi itself.

Octavo, original pictorial brown cloth gilt, all edges gilt. “ONE OF MARK TWAIN’S MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS”: LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI, FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE

Book life on the mississippi