The Ambassadors
New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1903. First U.S. Edition.
First American edition with "Published November 1903" on copyright. No jacket. Dark blue cloth over boards with gilded letters and lines on the spine. Gilded top edge and deckled long and lower edges. Front lower right corner just bumped, others fine. Some light scuffing to corners and at head/tail of spine. Shallow closed tear on title page, otherwise the interior is fine with a very strong spine.
Considered by Henry James to be his best work, The Ambassadors has a complex publishing history. First sereialized in the North American Review (Jan-Dec 1903), James had inteded it to be simultaneously bound in London (Methuen) and New York (Harpers). However, with limited copies and an incomplete copy from the NAR, the London edition completed early, but mis-ordered certain chapters. This was corrected in the New York edition, which was heavily reviewed by James. However, it was later argued that the Metheun edition had the better order of storytelling and subsequent editions in the later 20th century again changed the order of some chapters. Here is the edition, as originaly intended and reviewed by Henry James.
From the private library of Maurice Sendak with laid in paper documenting its sale. Maurice Sendak was a celebrated children's author and illustrator known for multiple works including, "Where the Wild Things Are."
Pages: (2) 432 Dimensions: 8½ x 5¾ x 1½
Price: $1,000.00