About this book
The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.
First Edition Identification
First edition published by Ticknor, Reeds and Fields, in Boston 1850. Main first edition marker is "reduplicate" instead of "repudiate" on page 21 Four page publisher's adverts at front dated March 1, 1850 and preceding the free end paper. The brown T-cloth favored by Ticknor & Fields is famous for becoming brittle with age, and cracking or fraying at the spine tips. First editions can run upwards of $20,000.
The second edition adds a preface and has a Metcalf imprint on verso of title-page. The third printing has the same preface but has a Hobart & Robbins imprint on verso of title-page.
Details
- Title Scarlet Letter a Romance
- Author Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Binding unknown
- Publisher Macmillan Pub Co, New York
- Date April 1970
- ISBN 9780024316905
More Copies for Sale
Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Scarlet Letter
by Ziff, Larzer, Professor (Editor), and Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Used
- Paperback
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- Used - Good.
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780024316905 / 0024316903
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- 1
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Derwood, Maryland, United States
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Show Details
The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Used
- good
- Paperback
- first
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Edition
- First Edition, Fifth or Later Printing
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780024316905 / 0024316903
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Argillite, Kentucky, United States
- Item Price
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£4.53£4.01 shipping to USA
Show Details
Scarlet Letter a Romance
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Used
- good
- Paperback
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780024316905 / 0024316903
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
HOUSTON, Texas, United States
- Item Price
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£9.99FREE shipping to USA