first edition
1890
by Twain, Mark
1890. [pre-US, per Twain himself] Toronto: Rose Publishing Company, 1890. Original olive green cloth pictorially decorated in black, grey and gilt.
First Canadian Edition of Twain's satirical time-traveling fantasy, which according to Twain's own instructions of 20 August 1889 (cited by Blanck), was to be published, for copyright reasons, on December 8th -- two days AFTER the UK edition (Dec 6th), and two days BEFORE the US edition (Dec 10th). As Blanck further states, the Canadian edition was published by "Rose Publishing Company" (as here) -- which unlike the UK and US editions, postdated its title page as "1890" (so appearing on the FRONT of the title leaf). This is an important distinction -- as there was another printing, at least five years later, by "G.M. Rose & Sons" -- which bears no date on its title page but is often cited as "1889" because of the copyright date which all of these printings bear on the title verso. (It was not until 1895 that "Rose Publishing Company" morphed into "G.M. Rose & Sons.") Because this Rose Publishing Company edition was prepared from advance American sheets, it includes the confusing "S" ornament between the words "THE" and "KING" on page [59], which was removed from later American copies issued. The binding is also the same as the American edition's; the later Canadian printing, with undated title page, is in plainer cloth. Condition is very good, with a bit of wear at the spine ends and (less) at the fore-corners. This Canadian edition is MUCH scarcer than the (slightly later) American edition. See Blanck 3429; McBride p. 129 (which gets it wrong -- it shows the G.M. Rose & Sons plain binding and undated title page). (Inventory #: 15664)
First Canadian Edition of Twain's satirical time-traveling fantasy, which according to Twain's own instructions of 20 August 1889 (cited by Blanck), was to be published, for copyright reasons, on December 8th -- two days AFTER the UK edition (Dec 6th), and two days BEFORE the US edition (Dec 10th). As Blanck further states, the Canadian edition was published by "Rose Publishing Company" (as here) -- which unlike the UK and US editions, postdated its title page as "1890" (so appearing on the FRONT of the title leaf). This is an important distinction -- as there was another printing, at least five years later, by "G.M. Rose & Sons" -- which bears no date on its title page but is often cited as "1889" because of the copyright date which all of these printings bear on the title verso. (It was not until 1895 that "Rose Publishing Company" morphed into "G.M. Rose & Sons.") Because this Rose Publishing Company edition was prepared from advance American sheets, it includes the confusing "S" ornament between the words "THE" and "KING" on page [59], which was removed from later American copies issued. The binding is also the same as the American edition's; the later Canadian printing, with undated title page, is in plainer cloth. Condition is very good, with a bit of wear at the spine ends and (less) at the fore-corners. This Canadian edition is MUCH scarcer than the (slightly later) American edition. See Blanck 3429; McBride p. 129 (which gets it wrong -- it shows the G.M. Rose & Sons plain binding and undated title page). (Inventory #: 15664)
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