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The first editions or first printings mean a lot to many book collectors. They are like precious gems that one owns as they are the first and most valuable books that are printed with no changes or modifications in the inner typing or styling.
And when the first editions go hand in hand quickly, they become more precious due to their popularity. Of course, there is a huge contribution of the author as well. Further, the popularity of the books, especially the ones with very limited first editions, makes them rare, and having even any one of these rarest first editions gives a feeling like celebrities.
Below are the top seven rarest first editions collected from the internet.
1. Book of Wealth by Hubert Howe Bancroft
The Book of Wealth is among the rarest first editions, which was published in 1896. You will love it because of how it depicts the society back then. I am someone who loves to explore how life before looked like, and this book offers a great sneak peak at that.
Written by Hubert Howe Bancroft, the first edition was only given to the wealthiest families of that time and since then it has become part of his private collections. This book has over 90 original engravings and photographs that describe the history of wealth in Palestine, Egypt, Persia, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, and Phoenicia.
2. Dracula by Bram Stoker
If you’re someone who has always been intrigued by the world of Dracula, you will love this one. And if you weren’t, you will be – once you read it.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a popular book in history and its first edition was published in 1897 in the UK. I would also say its probably among the earlier books where we get such an anecdote about draculas!
Its first editions are worth even more than five thousand dollars, whereas the signed first editions are worth tens of 1000s of dollars. It is a horror and gothic novel based on the journey of a detective to expose the terrible doings of Dracula. The character Dracula became famous in history from this book.
3. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The first edition of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain was published in 1876. If you’re like me, you will love the humour on these. Seldom do you get as pure humor as the ones Mark Twain wrote – and Tom Sawyer is the perfect example of that. It’s like you’re exploring the life of another boy – an amusing one at that.
It is one of the rarest first editions of the books of Mark Twain. Its story revolves around a young boy who lives near the banks of the Mississippi River. And the thing that makes this character more interesting is that he seems to enjoy getting in trouble. Its first edition is among the legendary masterpieces of American literature till date.
4. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children’s novel. Its first edition was published in 1900. And this one is a class. I mean, you don’t have every book turned into everything from tv shows to movies, do you? If I was Frank Baum, I would be like, “Damn, that’s the coolest thing one can do with someone’s books!”
The novel is based on fantasy literature and it’s the first novel of the popular Oz series. The story is about a farm girl, Dorothy, who found herself in the magical land of Oz after a cyclone hit her home.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) – L. Frank Baum
byu/chyron_8472 inAudiobookCovers
5. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf’s first edition was published in 1927. Like other books, it has no additional marks on the first edition. Instead, and here is what you will love – its first edition is just bound in a blue cloth. But I wouldn’t say that’s the only interesting thing here.
Its plot is based on the Ramsay family and about their psychological exploration when they visit Scotland between 1910 and 1920.
To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf [Classics](1927)
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First Editions are rare, especially the vintage ones, and most of them are kept in private collections around the world that are worth thousands of dollars. Getting even one rarest first edition can illuminate your collection of rarest books or first editions. Kind of cool to get your hands on it, right? Which first edition of a book do you have in your possession? Tell us!
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team