The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.
Chicago: Donohue Brothers, [c. 1900]. Reprint, Complete and Unabridged. Publisher's maroon cloth, spine titled in gilt. Pages toned, mild shelf wear, spine faded, boards with some faint soiling, still very good or better. Item #240156
TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY IRVING
A circa 1900 reprint of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon presents a modest yet telling witness to the work’s enduring place in the Anglo-American canon. First issued in 1819–20, Irving’s collection—featuring “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”—was instrumental in establishing both the American short story and a transatlantic literary voice. In its plain publisher’s cloth, this later printing reflects the transition from early literary prestige to widespread cultural familiarity: a work no longer rarefied, but firmly embedded in popular readership. Such editions speak less to luxury than to longevity, embodying the quiet persistence of a foundational text in everyday circulation.
Price: $20.00