MELVILLE, HERMAN. Typee: a Peep at Polynesian Life. During a Four Months' Residence in a Valley of the Marquesas. New York: Wiley and Putnam 1846. 2 vols. in 1, 8vo, original slate-blue cloth, blocked in blind, spine gilt-lettered, ends of spine and corners worn, a gathering started, text foxed, possibly wanting a blank; morocco slipcase. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION of the author's first book, BAL's "Binding Variant B, Cloth" (no priority) frontispiece map, PRESENTATION COPY TO HIS COUSIN MARIA PEEBLES, INSCRIBED TWICE BY MELVILLE, who apparently first inscribed the rear free endpaper upside-down in error and, when he discovered his mistake repeated the inscription on the front free endpaper; each inscription, in dark brown ink, reads: "Mrs Maria Peebles from her cousin Herman Melville." The recipient was Maria Van Schaick Peebles (1782-1865), a first cousin of the author's mother, who lived two streets away from the Melvilles in Lansingburgh, New York. Mrs. Peebles was helpful to Melville's mother (with occasional loans) and was a good friend to the author; her son, Anthony Augustus Peebles, maintained his Lansingburgh friendship with Melville for many years. See Jay Leyda, The Melville Log (New York, 1951), vol. 1, pp. xxxi and 207: "March 20 [1846]. M[elville] presents copies of Typee to his aunt, Mrs. Susan L. Ganesvoort, to his cousin, Mrs. Maria Peebles [italics ours] and to William E. Cramer." BAL 13653. MELVILLE PRESENTATION COPIES OF THIS SIGNIFICANCE ARE VERY RARE.Provenance: Faint pencil gift inscription on front free endpaper to Gertrude E. Williams from another member of the Peebles family -- William E. Stockhausen (sale, Part I, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 20 November 1974, lot 332).

THE PROPERTY OF A LADY

MELVILLE, HERMAN. Typee: a Peep at Polynesian Life. During a Four Months' Residence in a Valley of the Marquesas. New York: Wiley and Putnam 1846. 2 vols. in 1, 8vo, original slate-blue cloth, blocked in blind, spine gilt-lettered, ends of spine and corners worn, a gathering started, text foxed, possibly wanting a blank; morocco slipcase. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION of the author's first book, BAL's "Binding Variant B, Cloth" (no priority) frontispiece map, PRESENTATION COPY TO HIS COUSIN MARIA PEEBLES, INSCRIBED TWICE BY MELVILLE, who apparently first inscribed the rear free endpaper upside-down in error and, when he discovered his mistake repeated the inscription on the front free endpaper; each inscription, in dark brown ink, reads: "Mrs Maria Peebles from her cousin Herman Melville." The recipient was Maria Van Schaick Peebles (1782-1865), a first cousin of the author's mother, who lived two streets away from the Melvilles in Lansingburgh, New York. Mrs. Peebles was helpful to Melville's mother (with occasional loans) and was a good friend to the author; her son, Anthony Augustus Peebles, maintained his Lansingburgh friendship with Melville for many years. See Jay Leyda, The Melville Log (New York, 1951), vol. 1, pp. xxxi and 207: "March 20 [1846]. M[elville] presents copies of Typee to his aunt, Mrs. Susan L. Ganesvoort, to his cousin, Mrs. Maria Peebles [italics ours] and to William E. Cramer." BAL 13653. MELVILLE PRESENTATION COPIES OF THIS SIGNIFICANCE ARE VERY RARE. Provenance: Faint pencil gift inscription on front free endpaper to Gertrude E. Williams from another member of the Peebles family -- William E. Stockhausen (sale, Part I, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 20 November 1974, lot 332).

Details

MELVILLE, HERMAN. Typee: a Peep at Polynesian Life. During a Four Months' Residence in a Valley of the Marquesas. New York: Wiley and Putnam 1846. 2 vols. in 1, 8vo, original slate-blue cloth, blocked in blind, spine gilt-lettered, ends of spine and corners worn, a gathering started, text foxed, possibly wanting a blank; morocco slipcase. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION of the author's first book, BAL's "Binding Variant B, Cloth" (no priority) frontispiece map, PRESENTATION COPY TO HIS COUSIN MARIA PEEBLES, INSCRIBED TWICE BY MELVILLE, who apparently first inscribed the rear free endpaper upside-down in error and, when he discovered his mistake repeated the inscription on the front free endpaper; each inscription, in dark brown ink, reads: "Mrs Maria Peebles from her cousin Herman Melville." The recipient was Maria Van Schaick Peebles (1782-1865), a first cousin of the author's mother, who lived two streets away from the Melvilles in Lansingburgh, New York. Mrs. Peebles was helpful to Melville's mother (with occasional loans) and was a good friend to the author; her son, Anthony Augustus Peebles, maintained his Lansingburgh friendship with Melville for many years. See Jay Leyda, The Melville Log (New York, 1951), vol. 1, pp. xxxi and 207: "March 20 [1846]. M[elville] presents copies of Typee to his aunt, Mrs. Susan L. Ganesvoort, to his cousin, Mrs. Maria Peebles [italics ours] and to William E. Cramer." BAL 13653. MELVILLE PRESENTATION COPIES OF THIS SIGNIFICANCE ARE VERY RARE.

Provenance: Faint pencil gift inscription on front free endpaper to Gertrude E. Williams from another member of the Peebles family -- William E. Stockhausen (sale, Part I, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 20 November 1974, lot 332).