Herman Melville

MELVILLE, Herman (1819-1891). Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile. New York: G.P. Putnam & Co., 1855.

First printing, first binding, the Bradley Martin copy, with signature. "Melville's eighth book, possibly a presentation copy, with Melville's clipped signature and the ownership signature of Mrs. R.B. Coffin, a friend of Melville and wife of the novelist R.B. Coffin" (Reese). With Melville's clipped signature to front pastedown. BAL 13667.

Octavo. (Front endpaper with a couple short tears and offsetting.) Original dark purple cloth (spine lightly faded, superficial crack to front hinge). Custom chemise and quarter morocco slipcase. Provenance: Mrs R.B. Coffin (inscription) – deleted pencil notes to first blank – H. Bradley Martin (bookplate, his sale, Sotheby's New York, 30 January 1990, lot 2158).

Exhibited: "A Herman Melville Collection ... on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his death, from the collection of William S. Reese," Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, 1991, no. 23.