Home Ballads and Poems.
Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1860. Hardcover. 12mo. Half calf and glazed marbled paper over boards, compartments, gilt spine. 296pp. Top edge gilt. Marbled endpapers. Very good. Slightest bit of minor edgewear; minor tiny chipping at head of spine, barely perceptible; front marbled flyleaf a tad delicate but archivally strengthened, Item #33375
Seemingly the first edition of this noted gathering, though the 16-page advertisement section is not present -- removed, no doubt, at the time of binding. The handsome vintage binding (ca. late 19th century) is strikingly attractive. This book contains the first book appearance of Whittier's well-known poem "Mabel Martin: A Harvest Idyl" in its earliest form, entitled "The Witch's Daughter." This poem was first published in "The National Era" in 1857," and much later Whittier added a lengthy introductory section and changed the name to "Mabel Martin." Front pastedown bears the lovely armorial bookplate of GEORGE MERRYWEATHER (1794-1871), the oddball English inventor most remembered for his weather predicting "Tempest Prognosticator." A lovely copy in custom binding with an interesting provenance.
Price: $100.00