Description
The first edition, first printing of Two Years Before The Mast by Richard Henry Dana, with an ALS to his wife.
The first edition, first printing of Two Years Before The Mast by Richard Henry Dana, with an ALS to his wife. Octavo, [2], 483pp, [3]. Publisher’s tan muslin. Title stamped in black on boards and spine. BAL’s state B binding, with the first state of “Harpers’ Family Library” text on the back panel, ending at entry #105. This work is the first printing, with the “dot over the i in the word in” on the copyright page and unbroken running head at page 9. Foxing to rear endpapers, faint foxing and toning to preliminaries, internally nearly clean. From the library of Charles L. Gilcrest, with his bookplate on the front free endpaper. Free of restoration or archival repairs. With a letter to Dana’s wife affixed to the front endpaper.
(BAL 4434B) (Howes D49) (Graff 998) (Six Score, 28) (Zamorano Eighty, 26)
An exceptional copy, scarce without restoration and in this condition.
“One of the first and freshest, because of its plain factual nature, of American accounts of the sea, the book has added importance because… Dana journeyed up into California cattle country, of which he gives us our only trustworthy account before the 1849 gold rush.” (Grolier)
The letter to his wife reads as follows: “Boston March 23, 1855 / Dearlin, You have given me great pleasure by remembering me in so pleasant a way. Your son has brought me a bottle of celebrated old port, with its history, your son, and while I appreciate the intrinsic value of the gift, I shall esteem it much more as a proof of your personal regard. Believe me, with the best wishes for your _ and _. Yours truly / Rich H. Dana Jr. / Capt. George N. Preble / US Navy.”
