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Henry David Thoreau. Walden; or Life in the Woods. Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1854....
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Description
A fine presentation copy of Thoreau's masterpiece, inscribed to one of his closest friends and literary executor
Henry David Thoreau. Walden; or Life in the Woods.
Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1854.8vo. With 8-page publisher's advertisements at end dated April 1854 (no priority). Vignette of Thoreau's hut on title, map of Walden Pond. Original brown cloth, stamped in blind, spine gilt-lettered; quarter morocco slipcase.
FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING, one of 2,000 copies. AN IMPORTANT ASSOCIATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY THOREAU TO HARRISON GRAY OTIS BLAKE on the front free endpaper: "H.G.O. Blake / from / H.D.T."
Thoreau's greatest achievement, and a classic of American literature, Walden presents the record of the author's two-year experiment in how to live as simply as possible in accordance with the values imposed by his conscience. As a critic and interpreter of the American environment, Thoreau remains without peer, and Walden has been for over a hundred and fifty years "an inspiration to nature-lovers, to philosophers, to sociologists, to those of a Calvin Coolidge turn, and to persons who love to read the English language written with clarity" (Grolier, American).
The recipient, Harrison Gray Otis Blake, was one of Thoreau's closest friends. He afterwards became Thoreau's literary executor and editor, issuing from 1881 to 1892 four volumes of selections from Thoreau's Journals. This copy has extensive penciled annotations by Blake in the margins, mainly notes, dates, etc., tracing particular passages from the Journals, and penciled index-notes by him on a front flyleaf and the rear endpaper.
PRESENTATION COPIES OF THOREAU'S MASTERPIECE ARE EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE: According to auction online records only one other presentation copy has appeared (twice) at auction since the present copy sold in 1979 (prior to that a copy had sold in 1951).
Condition: Spine ends frayed; joints and corners worn. Hinges cracked; text block cracked at center with a few quires starting to loosen; title-page and two following leaves with faint dampstain in upper margin; some minor marginal toning.
References: BAL 20106; Borst A2.1a; Grolier, American 63; Johnson, High Spots 72.
Provenance: Stephen H. Wakeman copy (his sale, A.A.A., April 29, 1924, lot 1007); Henry Andrews Ingraham (bookplate); purchased from John Howell Books, San Francisco, 1980. From the William A. Strutz Library.
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Auction Info
2024 June 27 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part I, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6295 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
June, 2024
27th
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 4
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