The Raven
New York: Harper, 1884. First Edition. Hardcover. 1st edition. There was also a London edition dated 1883 but both were issued the same day in Dec. 1883, and Doré was hired by Harper, so our edition is the principal one. Original cloth (14 1/2” X 18 1/2”), 24 full page engravings and 2 smaller ones, all by Doré (it’s the last book he illustrated), a few small marks to the back, light rubs to the tips and corners, else near fine, and brighter than Apollo’s breastplate. And here’s a fact: Poe did not die in the street from alcoholism; he died in a hospital from rabies. Near fine. Item #822
Ravens are really smart. Among other ingenuities, they are one of only 4 animals (with bees, ants, and humans) that have demonstrated displacement, a language skill defined as the ability to communicate about objects or events that are distant in space or time. You say you want to eat a raven? Put it in a pot of boiling water with a hammerhead. When the hammer is soft, the raven is ready.
Price:
$2,000.00