MELVILLE, HERMAN | Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life During a Four Months’ Residence in a Valley of the Marquesas. New York and London: Wiley and Putnam, and John Murray, 1846

The Property of a Gentleman

MELVILLE, HERMAN 

Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life During a Four Months’ Residence in a Valley of the Marquesas. New York and London: Wiley and Putnam, and John Murray, 1846

Two volumes bound as one, 8vo (4 7/8 x 7 1/4 in.; 124 x 184 mm). Series title, frontispiece map, publisher's advertisements at front and end; very minor marginal foxing. Original navy cloth (BAL's first binding), covers elaborately ruled and stamped in blind, spine gilt lettered with blind rules; spine very faintly sunned, very slight rubbing to corners and head of spine. In custom quarter navy linen over marbled board clamshell case. 

First American edition, first printing, of Melville’s first book. The Borland copy 

Melville famously used his experiences as a common sailor as material for his early writing. Typee—his first book, present here—was a romanticized account of his stay in or near the Taipi Valley. Over the last century, scholarship has shown that much of Melville's account was dramatized, most likely to draw a contrast between seemingly idyllic native culture, and Western civilization. In any case, Typee was such a success, he followed it with a sequel: Omoo (1847). The popularity of these titles provided him with the financial means he needed in order to marry Elizabeth Shaw, the daughter of a prominent Boston family. his early success, however, would prove difficult to sustain.

This edition was made up of 2,000 copies, of which 1,498 were bound in cloth, 496 in

wrappers, and the other six copies were defective sets of sheets. 

A remarkably clean copy

REFERENCES

BAL 13653

PROVENANCE

John C. Ropes (stamp to front free endpaper) — Harriet Borland (book label to front pastedown)