Hamish Riley-Smith

Stevenson, Robert Louis Treasure Island London, Paris & New York, 1883

Octavo, original publishers olive green cloth, a little worn, covers ruled in blind, spine lettered gilt, spine dust soiled, head and tail of spine worn, original black coated endpapers, occasional browning, half title spotted, pp.viii, 292, 4 adverts, engraved frontispiece map printed in three colours with the original tissue guard, with the following issue points identifying a first issue: dead man’s chest not capitalised on pp.2 and7; with rain for vain on the last line of p.40; a not present on line 6 of p.63; 8 not present in the pagination on p.83; 7 not present in the pagination of p.127; the period is not present following opportunity on line 20 of p.178; with worse for worst on line 3 of p.197; the advertisements dated 5G-783 being July 1883; inscribed in ink on the half title L.Courtauld with love from K.M.C. Christmas 1883 K.M.Courtauld.

The Morgan Library, Early Children’s Books and their Illustration, 206. Osborne Collection, II.p.1030. Prideaux 11. Provenance. Given by Katherine Mina Courtauld [1856-1935] to her first cousin Louis Courtauld [1878-1922] as an 1883 Christmas present, within weeks of its first publication. She was the unmarried daughter of George Courtauld [1830-1920] and Mina Bromley [1832-1859]. Louis’s father, also Louis [1834-1878], was a younger brother of George – their youngest brother Sydney was the father of Samuel Courtauld, the founder of the Courtauld Institute of Art. FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. A remarkable copy with an inscription dated within a few weeks of its first publication and a notable provenance. Treasure Island was published on November 14th 1883. This was Robert Louis Stevenson’s [1850-1894] first novel and has never been out of print. This great work has endured the test of time and stands as a landmark in the history of 19th century children’s literature.

£6950

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