Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (Cassell, [1931]) illustrated by N. C. Wyeth

Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson
London: Cassell & Company Limited, reprint [1931]

The classic adventure story of pirates, the high seas and black spots by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94) was originally serialised in the magazine ‘Young Folks’ (1881-2), then published in book form by Cassell (1883).

The illustrated edition of Treasure Island by American artist N. C. Wyeth (Newell Convers Wyeth, 1882-1945) was originally published in 1911* by New York publishers Charles Scribner’s Sons and contained fourteen plates plus the title page in colour (fifteen in total). I believe UK publisher Cassell first published their Wyeth edition in 1912, with fifteen colour plates in total as the US edition.

This copy a later printing, complete as called for, with now just nine colour plates plus the colour title page (ten in total instead of fifteen).

Note: colophon reads – Made and Printed in Great Britain by | The Greycaine Book Manufacturing Company Limited, Watford | 20.831 – a reasonable assumption being this copy is a 1931 printing.

Hardback. Publisher’s green cloth with gilt title to spine and inlay colour plate to upper board; illustrated endpapers. In a dustwrapper with onlay colour plate to front panel and title black lettering to spine; however lacking rear panel and flap. pp xiv, [1]-273, [1] colophon, including colour title page, plus map and nine colour plates. Size: 9.5 x 7.5 inches approx. (239mm x 187mm).

Unfortunately, only half of the dustwrapper present… however it is the best half; spine darkened and grubby with loss to head and tail; spine attached to front panel with archival tape to verso; creasing to lower corner of onlay plate, ink staining to lower margin of front. Covers and inlay plate very clean and bright, gilt to spine bright; a touch marked to lower board and spine – presumably until recently the missing half of the dustwrapper was present and doing the job of protecting the book. Foxing/offsetting to endpapers; an inscription dated 1935 in ink to half-title page; scattered foxing, mainly to preliminaries, pages opposite plates, and last pages, however generally clean throughout.

Overall, a particularly well preserved copy – quite lovely.

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References

*Charles Scribner’s Sons first edition dated MCMXI to title page recto, and September 1911 to verso | Treasure Island (Scribner’s, 1911)