Fyodor Dostoevsky — House of the Dead: Buried Alive, or Ten Years of Penal Servitude in Siberia — 
 
1881 First Edition — First English Translation Published in the U.S.
 
A scarce and striking 1881 First Edition of Dostoevsky’s semi‑autobiographical classic, issued in New York shortly after his death and representing the first appearance of this work in English published during his lifetime. Translated by Marie Von Thilo, this volume marks Dostoevsky’s earliest U.S. publication and stands as a cornerstone for collectors of Russian literature in English.
 
Finely rebound in full green Pentland Goat leather with gilt‑stamped spine titles, raised bands, and fresh decorative endpapers. The binder has thoughtfully preserved the original olive‑green pictorial cloth cover, now bound in at the front—an elegant blend of restoration and authenticity that gives the book both visual appeal and historical continuity.
 
Condition: 8vo, 361 pages plus two pages of ads. The text shows expected age toning, scattered foxing, a few stains, and several finger smudges—honest signs of a well‑kept 19th‑century volume. The restoration is tasteful and sympathetic, resulting in a copy that is structurally sound, handsome in hand, and ready for display.
 
First editions of House of the Dead in English—especially those tied so closely to Dostoevsky’s final year—rarely surface. This example, with its refined rebinding and preserved original cloth, offers significant literary importance and strong shelf presence. A standout acquisition for collectors of Russian literature, early translation history, or landmark narratives of imprisonment and survival.