Moby-Dick: or, The Whale (Penguin Classics)
by Melville, Herman
- Used
- Acceptable
- Paperback
- Condition
- Acceptable
- ISBN 10
- 0142437247
- ISBN 13
- 9780142437247
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, United Kingdom
6 Copies Available from This Seller
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Synopsis
Melville's classic was first published in England as three volumes titled The Whale in October 1851. Slow sales of Melville's previously books convinced Publisher L. Richard Bentley to reduce the printing to only 500 copies, and of that, only 300 sold in the first 4 months. The remaining unbound sheets were bound in a cheaper casing in 1852, and in 1853 there were still enough remaining sheets to again bind into an even cheaper edition. Melville changed the title to Moby Dick a month later, November 1851, when the American Version was published in one volume by Harper & Brothers in NY. Of the 2,951 copies printed, 125 were review copies. About 1,500 sold in 11 days, but then sales slowed to less than 300 the next year. After two years copies of the first edition were still available, and almost 300 were destroyed in the 1853 fire of Harper's warehouse. Most of the first editions have orange end-papers, although there are 2 known volumes with rare white-endpapers. Because of Nineteenth-century printing practices, and the time-lapse between when the first-editions were published and Melville became collectible, oxidized paper, bumped and chipped spines, and brittle wrappers are all common for even the most expensive and collectible of these books, which can sell from $35,000 to $100,000. Also, expect heavy wear and maybe even minor repair. Another collectible edition is the 1930 first edition illustrated by Rockwell Kent, a three-volume set published by the Lakeside Press with acetate dust jackets in an aluminum slipcase. These range in value from $9,000 to $11,000. A total of 3,215 copies of Moby-Dick were sold during Melville's life (he died in 1891). Today, Moby-Dick is considered one of the greatest American novels. -
Read More: Identifying first editions of Moby-Dick: or, The Whale (Penguin Classics)
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- World of Books Ltd (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- GOR001504733
- Title
- Moby-Dick: or, The Whale (Penguin Classics)
- Author
- Melville, Herman
- Format/Binding
- Paperback
- Book Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Quantity Available
- 6
- ISBN 10
- 0142437247
- ISBN 13
- 9780142437247
- Publisher
- Penguin Classics
- Place of Publication
- New York
- This edition first published
- 2002-12
Terms of Sale
World of Books Ltd
If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase for any reason, simply email customerservice@worldofbooks.com and we will quickly resolve any issues you may have. If you have any other queries about your order, please email customerservice@worldofbooks.com. Our goal is to deliver to our customers the best possible service and we hope your experience of dealing with us lives up to our promise. If for whatever reason we fail to meet your expectations then please let us know.
About the Seller
World of Books Ltd
About World of Books Ltd
- Wob: Through Wob, we sell. We provide affordable, preloved books and media to customers all over the world. A book leaves our collection of over seven million titles and begins a new chapter every two seconds, enabling more goods to be reused.
- Ziffit: Through Ziffit, we buy. We give people around the world the opportunity to contribute to the circular economy, earn money and protect the planet, by trading their unwanted books and media.
- Shopiago: Through Shopiago, we help others. By sharing the technology that has grown World of Books Group into the business it is today, we're helping charities increase revenue and reduce waste through re-commerce.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Acceptable
- A non-traditional book condition description that generally refers to a book in readable condition, although no standard exists...