Mark Twain's Sketches, New and Old. Now first published in complete form

Hartford: The American Publishing Co, 1875. First edition. First printing. Second state of text, with footnote on p.120 removed, lacking "From Hospital Days" on p.299. Tall octavo (22cm); publisher's blue decorated cloth, titled in gilt on spine and front cover; pale tan (Blanck states "peach") endpapers; 320 pp; illus. Slight rubbing at spine ends and board corners; a hint of oxidation to spine gilt, still a remarkably bright, clean copy, Near Fine. Neat ink ownership signatures to front and rear pastedowns of a Jean Poore Ray. Illustrated throughout after original line drawings by True Williams.

Twain's second collection of short fiction, comprised mostly of pieces that had previously appeared in periodicals but also including (per Twain's Preface) several works not previously published, including "Learned fables for Good Old Boys and Girls," the "Jumping Frog Restored..." etc. BAL 3364.