first edition
by Emerson, Ralph Waldo
Concord N.H.: G. F. Bemis, 1835. First edition, first state with signature mark 3 absent. Bound with the ORIGINAL BLUE WRAPPERS present. Recent cloth backed marble boards, uncut as issued. Scattered foxing throughout, several leaves with slight tears to fore edge, wrappers archivally backed but still a nice copy of Emerson's first separately published book or substantial publication preceded only by contributions to journals and a broadside. The rarity of this pamphlet can be explained by the small number of copies and the fire in the town clerk's office that destroyed many of them. Quite scarce in any condition but especially so with the wrappers as most copies were rebound and the wrappers discarded, losing printed elements important to scholars and collectors. Two elusive pieces of paper, being to Mr. Emerson's Discourse what dust wrappers are to modern first editions.
(Inventory #: 2283)