Life on the Mississippi – Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens)
James R. Osgood and Company, 1883
Second State of the First Edition
 
Description: Mark Twain’s classic autobiographical account of his boyhood and early experiences on the Mississippi River. A vivid portrait of river life, its characters, and the era that shaped Huckleberry Finn. Although 50,000 copies of the first edition were printed, Twain wrote in 1891 that only 32,000 sold; the remainder were reissued by Charles Webster beginning in 1884.
This is the second state, with the illustration of the “flaming” Twain on page 441 removed, and the caption on page 443 changed from “The St. Louis Hotel” to “The St. Charles Hotel.” (BAL 3411)
 
Physical Details: 8vo. 624 pages. Publisher’s brown cloth with gilt illustrated vignettes on front cover and spine. Black stamped titles and decoration to front; gilt titles to spine. Endpapers have been refreshed.
 
Condition: Corners and spine tips rubbed and bumped. Light wrinkling to cloth on rear cover. A few finger smudges to several pages. Small newspaper clipping about Twain affixed to the front black preliminary leaf.
 
Overall, a very good, solid, and strong example of an important Mark Twain first edition in its early state.