The Definitive Edition of the Works of Mark Twain. Published in 37 volumes -- this set is missing volume 8 (Tom Sawyer). Blue cloth spines with paper labels. Plain paper over boards. Bindings good and tight. The blue cloth on the spine is uniformly and evenly faded towards gray, as is usual with this set. A limited edition of 1024 sets. This one is numbered 917 on the special limitation page in the first volume. Flyleaf signed by Mark Twain with both Twain and Clemens names. Special insert bound in opposite states "This fly leaf as signed by Mark Twain in 1906 in anticipation of the present Definitive Edition of his work." The note is signed by Albert Bigelow Paine (Twain's biographer). There is some light foxing on the autograph page. A few of the paper spine labels are chipped and all are faded. Please email to see a photo. The Definitive Edition has a fascinating story behind it, starting with the collector Gabriel Wells. The signed sheets in this edition had been forgotten about until their discovery in the Harper & Co vaults. Well acquired those sheets as well as the right to publish the set (for which he paid $200,000). He used the illustrations from earlier editions, evidently without permission. He also arranged to published Paine's Biography of Twain as the final 2 volumes. Those final 2 volumes are dated 1925. Volumes 9-35 are dated 1923. The first 8 volumes are 1922. Extra shipping charges will apply for the full-shelf set. [bookseller's note to himself: the signed volume is in the vault.]. Seller Inventory # Fred-Ses39

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Bibliographic Details

Title: The Writings of Mark Twain. Definitive ...

Publisher: New York. Gabriel Wells

Publication Date: 1922

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Good

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

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We're at 805 Caroline Street, in the heart of Fredericksburg's historic district. Open Monday to Saturday 10-6; and Sunday 12-5. In warmer months we stay open until 9 most nights, but you might want to call ahead. (540) 373-6148 Shipping rates are for Media Mail, in a padded envelope - WE DO NOT ADD TRACKING UNLESS THE CUSTOMER REQUESTS IT AND PAYS FOR IT - we have been selling books online for more than 20 years & find that the USPO delivers 99.99% of packages quickly and safely, without any need for a tracking number. We trust them & we hope you will too. If you need tracking, please consider PRIORITY SHIPPING. We ship orders valued at more than $50 in a box, at no additional charge. Priority mailing is for a Flat-Rate envelope, with tracking included. If the book does not fit into a flat rate envelope, we will likely need to request extra shipping costs from you, in order to put it in a box. We only charge the actual amount of shipping, so we hope you'll understand that it's just a matter of getting the book to you without taking a loss on it -- shipping is a service we happily offer without a 'handling' charge.... but we can't afford to charge you less than the cost of the stamps!

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