The Writings

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Limited Edition. New York, Gabriel Wells, 1922-25 octavo, 37 volumes, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, others untrimmed, frontispiece portrait and numerous illustrations throughout the set. Printed on specially made all rag Old Enfold Paper which bears the watermark "Samuel L Clemens - Mark Twain". Pages nice and clean. Finely bound by the Chelsea Bindery, London, in burgundy morocco, titles and decorations to spine, raised bands, rule to boards, signature to front boards, inner dentelles. Signed by Mark Twain. An exceptional fine and clean set in a spectacular full morocco binding. The Definitive Edition. Limited to 1024 sets, this is number 390. Signed in 1906 SL Clemens/Mark Twain in anticipation of this ultimate edition, as explained by the publishers announcement. The set includes the extra two volumes of Autobiography. It was Mark Twain's most cherished desire that a definitive and complete edition of his entire literary output be published. Whit this end in view, shortly before his death, he autographed with his signature 1024 sheets which would be inserted in the first volume of such an edition of his work, when it might appear. These autographed sheets were so carefully and hermetically preserved that their very existence was lost sight of, until quite recently, when an inventory disclosed them. This fortuitous discovery made possible the fulfilment of Mark Twain's ambition, a project which ever since he passed away, has been increasingly demanded by the public-an absolute complete, comprehensive, and definitive edition of his writings, his full biographical data, ably edited, finely printed and illustrated, and autographed by Mark Twain's own hand- taken from the publishers advert for the set. A very fine set in a spectacular full morocco binding!. Signed by Author(s).