AN INCOMPARABLE SET OF THE DEFINITIVE EDITION OF TWAIN’S WORKS, ONE OF 1024 COPIES BEARING HIS SIGNATURE, WITH AN AUTOGRAPH NOTE SIGNED BY HIM

TWAIN, Mark. Works. New York: Gabriel Wells, 1922-25. Thirty-seven volumes. Octavo, original half blue cloth, original printed paper spine labels, uncut and largely unopened, original dust jackets. WITH: Autograph note signed. One leaf of stationery measuring 6 by 8 inches, folded twice, pp. 4; writing on recto of first page only.

“Definitive Edition” of Twain’s writings, number 468 of 1024 sets with a specially prepared leaf signed by the author ( “S.L. Clemens / Mark Twain”) in 1906 in Volume I, accompanied by a small signed autograph note entirely in Twain’s hand. Illustrated with 174 plates. A stunning set; the finest copy we have ever seen.

“High and fine literature is wine,” Twain once wrote, “and mine is only water; but everybody likes water.” This beautiful edition of Twain’s complete novels, essays and sketches attests to the enduring popularity and power of his works—many of which, despite their author’s protestation to the contrary, have come to be regarded as among the finest vintage American literature offers. Among other classics, the set includes A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Life on the Mississippi, and the adventures of both Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, as well as Twain’s autobiography and Albert Paine Bigelow’s influential and long-standard biography of him. Accompanying this set is an autograph note, written entirely in Twain’s own hand on stationery headed “Riverdale on the Hudson,” reading, in full: “Dear Mr. Howland: I thank you very much for your kind invitation and am sorry I must say no; but I am canceling such of my winter engagements as I can, and making no new ones; the breakdown of my wife’s health rendering this course necessary. Sincerely Yours, S.L. Clemens, February 16, 1903.” According to the Mark Twain Project of the University of California (UCCL 12934), Twain wrote this note to Henry Elias Howland, noted New York jurist and, like Twain, a popular and witty speaker; Howland’s New York Times obituary notes his most famous saying, “The best thing out of Boston is the 5 o’clock train.” Twain’s letter refers to the fact that Olivia “Livy” Clemens began succumbing to heart disease and nervous states in August 1902. She would die 22 months later in Florence, Italy. Her death would strike Twain hard: he would express remorse “for things done and said in the 34 years of married life that hurt Livy’s heart” (Kaplan, 371).

Closed tear to front panel of Volume XXI dust jacket. A beautiful set, complete. The finest copy we have yet seen. Very rare in this condition, and in the original dust jackets.