ALMAYER'S FOLLY. A Story of an Eastern River

1895. New York: Macmillan and Co., 1895. 3 pp undated ads. Original black cloth.

First American Edition of Conrad's first book, with a text that varies considerably from the English edition (because it was typeset from uncorrected proofs). We find the American edition to be somewhat scarcer than the English one (as well it should be, since only about half as many were issued: according to Keating "only 650 copies of this edition were printed, and it is a rare book"). This copy is in Supino's binding "B" (Cagle's binding "b"), black cloth with a double blind­stamped border rule on the covers and with "The Macmillan Company" at the foot of the (truncated) spine. Since 1922, when Supino had an "A" copy bearing the date 30 April 1895, plus an "A" copy bearing an advance review slip, it is considered likely that "A" is the earlier binding state; until then, it was considered a toss-up. This is a close-to-fine copy (a touch of rubbing at the extremities). Supino A1.11.0; Cagle A1b.2. Provenance: discreet bookplates of Conrad mega-collector Stanley J. Seeger and of Conrad bibliographer David J. Supino. Housed in a cloth clamshell case. (Inventory #: 15268)