The Library of Roger Wagner - PBA Galleries

FIRST EDITION OF “THE MOST IMPORTANT BIOLOGICAL BOOK EVER WRITTEN”
14. DArWin, chArles. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of the
Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. ix, [1], 502 + 32 ad pp. Folding lithographed diagram. 7¾x4½,
original blindstamped green cloth, spine lettered in gilt & decorated with 2 ornate gilt triangles. First
Edition.
London: John Murray, 1859
First edition of “certainly the most important biological book ever written” (Freeman). This
first edition (often called the first issue, since the second edition was also dated 1859 with
few differences) has the two quotations (not the three of later editions) on the verso of the
half-title (p.ii); the misprint “speceies” on
p.20, line 11; and the whale bear story on
p.184. As Freeman notes, “There is only
one issue of the first edition, the text being
identical in all copies. There are, however,
small differences in the cases and in the
inserted advertisements....” There were 1250
copies of the first edition printed, of which
only about 1170 copies were available to
the trade, the remainder being reserved for
presentation or review. It has often been
stated that all copies were sold the first day
of publication, but Freeman doubts the
verifiability of this, “indeed once copies had
reached the bookshops, up and down the
country, how could anyone know whether
they were sold or not.” At any rate, the book
was rapidly consumed by the public, and
swiftly reprinted. This copy is (apparently)
in Freeman’s “b” binding state, with the
M in Murray in the spine imprint below
and between the N and D on London, but
mostly the N. The inserted advertisements
at rear are dated June 1859, with the text not
surrounded by a frame. Light rubbing and
mild bumps to spine ends and corner, ¼”
spot to front cover; front hinge neatly split
through at endpapers with the free endpaper
& half-title detached, rear hinge cracked and
nearly split; still a very nice, unsophistcated
copy, contents clean & fresh, covers fairly
bright, preserved in folding cloth box.
(70000/100000)
Lot 14
60 YEARS OF THE STRAND MAGAZINE REPLETE WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES
15. Doyle, ArThur conAn, conTriB. The Strand Magazine. 73 volumes. Complete run from January
1891-June 1927. (6 issues bound together per volume.) Illustrated by Sidney Paget, Walter Paget,
Frank Wiles, Howard Elcock, and others. 10x7¼, original pictorial cloth, spines gilt-lettered. All
of the Sherlock Holmes Stories and Novels as Published in The Strand, Mostly Being the First
Appearances in Print. Plus: Further 44 volumes of The Strand. Nearly complete run from July
1927-March 1950 (lacking only 8 issues). 5 volumes in original cloth; 9 volumes in library cloth; 30
separate monthly issues in wrappers. Together, 117 volumes.
London: George Newnes, 1891-1951
The Sherlock Holmes stories were originally divided into series as follows: Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes (July 1891-June 1892 and December 1892-December 1893); The Hound of the
Baskervilles. Another Adventure of Sherlock Holmes (August 1901-April 1902); The Return of
Sherlock Holmes (October 1903-December 1904); The Valley of Fear. A New Sherlock Holmes
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