ALMAYER'S FOLLY. A Story of an Eastern River. [with advance review slip]

1895. [advance review copy] New York: Macmillan and Co., 1895. 3 pp undated ads. Original very dark blue cloth.

First American Edition of Conrad's first book, with a text that varies considerably from the English edition (because it was typeset from uncorrected proofs). We find the American edition to be scarcer than the English one (as well it should be, since only about half as many were issued: according to Keating "only 650 copies of this edition were printed, and it is a rare book"). This copy is in Supino's binding "A" (Cagle's binding "a") -- very dark blue cloth with double blind rules framing each cover, and with "Macmillan & Co" at the foot of the spine. It is a bright copy that would be fine except that there is some speckling of the spine cloth, and the volume is slightly aslant. Supino A1.11.0, binding (A); Cagle A1b.2, binding (a). Onto the front free endpaper is tipped a publisher's advance review slip ("This book is furnished for editorial purposes... and it is respectfully suggested... that any review or notice that you may be pleased to publish, should mention... the price of the book, which is [entered by hand in ink:] 1.25". Provenance: bookplate of the Conrad mega-collector Stanley J. Seeger (whose library was sold via numerous London auctions); bookplate of Conrad's 2022 bibliographer David J. Supino. (Both Supino's "Wilson" copy (bearing the date 30 April 1895), and this advance review copy, are actually in binding "A" -- which strongly suggests that "A" is the earlier binding.).