Lot 104

Crane, Stephen

Estimate

6,000 - 8,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

ink and paper

Maggie. A Girl of the Streets. (A Story of New York). By Johnston Smith. [New York: 1893]

8vo (7 3/4 x 5 1/4 in.: 198 x 135 mm). Original mustard wrappers: rear wrapper with a few edge chips, upper wrapper reattached, edges and spine restored, red half morocco slipcase.

Provenance

Edward M Crane (bookplate in case)

Literature

BAL 4068, Williams and Starrett 1

Catalogue Note

first edition inscribed by crane's brother on the title verso: "To Cortlandt St. John / by Wm H Crane / his esteemed cousin / and brother of / Stephen Crane / the author / March 31st, 1900."

Stephen Crane's brother William Howe Crane lent money to help pay for the printing of Maggie, which Crane issued himself in an edition of 1,100 copies. The majority were unsold and ended up as kindling. Once described as the rarest book in modern literature, approximately 35 copies had been located at the time the Doheny copy was offered in 1988.