THE THIRD VIOLET [in dust jacket]

1897. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1897. Original tan cloth decorated in red, black and gilt, with dust jacket.

First Edition of Crane's sixth book, a romance about young impoverished artists. It was not long after he finished writing this, and before it was published, that Crane was ship­wrecked near Jacksonville, as he was headed off to cover the war in Cuba (Crane had to spend three days in an "open boat"). THE THIRD VIOLET was something of a success, but artistically it seemed a distinct blot on Crane's reputation... [One reviewer observed,] "We hope that THE THIRD VIOLET, which is a hopelessly scentless one, will be the last of its kind, and that instead of violets Mr. Crane will give us war -- war -- war." [Stallman] This was to be the last of Crane's four Appleton books to appear in this tan binding. This volume is in very good-to-near-fine condition (faint discoloration/foxing of the coarse cloth, booklabel removed from front free endpaper); the uncommon dust jacket is very good (a stain on the rear panel, some wear, reinforcing paper on the verso of some edges, spine darkened as usual). The volume's endpapers have the appropriate "shadows" showing that a jacket has always adorned this copy. Williams & Starrett 13; Blanck 4078.