Early editions, 1847-1850

OMOO – Group of six early editions of Omoo, including the first English edition. London and New York: various publishers, 1847-1850.

1. MELVILLE, Herman (1819-1891). Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas. London: John Murray, 1847. First edition. This copy with the map bound at the front. BAL 13655, state A of p. 209. Contemporary half calf, spine gilt-lettered “Murray’s Library / Omoo” (upper joint loose).
2. Omoo: or, Adventures in the South Seas. Part II (wrapper title). London: John Murray, [1847]. A railway edition. “Part II” in the wrapper title refers to its being a sequel to Typee. Possibly they were or were intended to be sold together. Original upper wrapper (disbound, backstrip and lower wrapper lacking). Custom chemise and quarter morocco slipcase.
3. Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas. New York: Harper and Bros., 1847. Stated third edition. Original cloth (hinges weak, library stamp to f.f.e.).
4. Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas. New York: Harper and Bros., 1847. Stated fifth edition. (Some very pale dampstain.) Original cloth (wear to extremities).
5. Omoo. London: George Routledge and Co., 1850. Original cloth (spine ends chipped, rubbed).
6. Typee and Omoo: or, The Marquesas Islands, and Adventures in the South Seas. London: George Routledge and Co., 1850. Original cloth (wear to spine, corners rubbed). Custom chemise and quarter morocco slipcase. Provenance: H. Bradley Martin (receipt dated 1948 laid in).