Ballads
by STEVENSON, ROBERT LOUIS
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Santa Barbara, California, United States
Item Price
SGD 24,097.50
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About This Item
London: Chatto & Windus, 1890. First Edition - English. Historic presentation copy inscribed and signed by the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, to his stepdaughter, Isobel Osbourne Strong. Inscribed on the half-title: “Belle from R.L.S., Sydney, Feb 17th 1891.” Original gilt-stamped blue cloth. Endpapers have some darkening, else a fine copy. The book is a remarkable collection of his ballads of the fanciful and weird set in both the South Seas and in Scotland ending with the moving “Christmas At Sea.” This presentation copy carries with it a very significant background, for the book was presented at the decisive moment in the relationship of R.L.S., and his stepdaughter. Stevenson had traveled alone to Sydney, Australia in February 1891 in large part to persuade Belle to give up her desire to remain in Australia and provide for herself and her son through some employment prospects. Stevenson, however, counted them as his family and she recalled that he “talked with such kindness, such understanding, that every last bit of resentment I held toward him melted away, and I felt myself to be truly his loving daughter.” Indeed, Isobel Strong would live in Stevenson’s island home, Vailima, in Samoa, becoming his amanuensis, biographical adjunct and lifelong (she passed away in 1953 at age ninety-five) keeper of the flame. It is not a stretch that this very copy is the literary commemoration of that relationship changing occasion. Enclosed in a handsome gilt-stamped blue morocco and cloth slipcase.
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Details
- Bookseller
- James Pepper Rare Books, Inc. (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 13313J
- Title
- Ballads
- Author
- STEVENSON, ROBERT LOUIS
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Chatto & Windus
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1890
Terms of Sale
James Pepper Rare Books, Inc.
We accept VISA, Mastercard, personal checks, and money orders issued on US Banks. If paying by credit card, please supply the card number, expiration date, and a daytime phone number. We guarantee all items to be as described. We accept returns for any reason, with notification within three days of your receipt of the order. All returns must be shipped insured. Shipping is: $7.00 first item, $1.00 each additional. Foreign orders will be shipped at cost. California residents please add 7.25% sales tax.
About the Seller
James Pepper Rare Books, Inc.
Biblio member since 2005
Santa Barbara, California
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About James Pepper Rare Books, Inc.
We are long-term members of the Antiquarian Bookseller's Association of America. We specialize in American & English Literature, Mystery & Detective Fiction, Rare Cinema Material, Autograph & Signed Material, and an Eclectic Offering of Literature & Ephemera.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...