Mardi: and a Voyage Thither

Harper & Brothers , New York, 1849. Good: some light stain to Volume I, becoming more pronounced toward rear of volume, substantial foxing to Volume II, stain to rear endpaper of Volume II. 7 1/2 x 4 7/8 inches, xii, [13]-365; [v]-xii, [9]-387 pages, publisher's blindstamped brown cloth, moderate spotting to covers of Volume I, light wear to tips of Volume I, moderate wear to tips, spine ends and joints of Volume II, front free endpaper torn from Volume II, First American edition. BAL 13658. Two volumes. 8-page publisher's catalogue bound at end of volume II. The bindings, although both are brown publisher's cloth, do not match. Volume I is in Blanck's TZ cloth, with orange-yellow coated endpapers, whereas Volume II is in A cloth with yellow coated endpapers. The stamping on Volume I is a simpler pattern than that on Volume II. Volume II's binding is the earlier, corresponding to that described by Blanck in the "Note" contained in the entry. Stenciled in brown ink in gothic letter on the front free endpaper of Volume I is the name "Thomas Melville." Though we cannot be sure, this volume could have belonged to one of the author's brothers, who lived between 1830 and 1884.