Beschreibung:

STEVENSON, Robert Louis. Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde , London: Longmans, Green and Co, 1886. 8°, half title, list of author's works on verso, with final leaf of advertisements and advertisements on verso of front wrapper, original fawn-coloured printed wrappers, decorated in blue and lettered in red and blue, the last number of the date on the front wrapper changed in manuscript from '5' to '6' (lacks back wrapper and spine, stitching weakened, front wrapper very lighty soiled), morocco gilt presentation box by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, preserved within a cloth box. FIRST EDITION, IMPORTANT ASSOCIATION AND PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed in pencil on half title "S. L. Osbourne, Jan 1, 1886, from the decrepid [sic] author" and with Lloyd Osbourne's signature on the front wrapper. Prideaux 17: "The date upon the front cover was originally 1885, but the last figure was altered by pen into 6. It had been intended to publish the book in December 1885, 'but when it was ready the bookstalls were already full of Christmas numbers, etc., and the trade would not look at it'. The publication was therefore postponed till January 1886". Lloyd Osbourne (1868-1947) was Stevenson's stepson, and collaborated with him on several works such as The Wrong Box , The Wrecker and The Ebb Tide . He went on to publish a number of his own works, notably An Intimate Portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson . He was appointed American Vice-Consul of Samoa, and served in that post until 1897.