Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

West Hatfield, MA: Pennyroyal Press, 1985. Hardcover. Fine. Hardcover. Number 291 of 350 copies signed by Barry Moser and accompanied by a separate unsigned suite of the forty-nine engravings. It was printed by the press in December 1984 as the centenary edition of Twain's Huckleberry Finn, which was first published in December 1894 in England and in February 1895 in the United States. This edition is a fitting and celebratory commemoration of Huckleberry Finn, Twain's book is named among the Great American Novels. The work is among the first in major American literature to be written throughout in vernacular English, characterized by local color regionalism. (truncated) It is told in the first person by Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, the narrator of two other Twain novels (Tom Sawyer Abroad and Tom Sawyer, Detective) and a friend of Tom Sawyer. It is a direct sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. [Wikipedia] As stated by John Henry Nash in his foreword, we are reminded "that the course of American literature was changed by Huck Finn. This lavishly produced book from Moser's famed Press is one of five magnificent books published by the Press between 1982 and 1985. The other titles included Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, Frankenstein, and The Wizard of Oz. After that period the Press resumed issuing smaller books.

Beautifully bound in full green morocco with gilt rulings to the front cover and spine. Gilt titling to spine. A gilt circle on the front cover encloses the dates 1895 and 1995. There is a slight indent to the leather on the cover that is hardly visible. Printed with Centaur and Arrighi types on Mohawk Letterpress paper. The hand composition was done by P. Chase Twichell at the Press. The elegant calligraphy on the title page is the work of Yvette Rutledge. The binding was designed and executed at Gray Parrot in Easthampton, MA. The 49 unsigned engravings of the book's illustrations are in a gray cloth covered portfolio. Both the book and portfolio are housed in a slipcase covered with the same cloth as the portfolio. There is very slight bowing to the bottom of one side and some visible stitching on the bottom of the case. The book is in fine condition in a near fine slipcase. Measures 10 x 12.75 inches. 419 pages plus unnumbered plates and colophon. PRI/103124. (Inventory #: 37577)