The Ebb-Tide: A Trio and Quartette

London: William Heinemann, 1894. First English edition, first printing, in the publisher's primary pictorial binding.

An attractive first English edition of The Ebb-Tide, Robert Louis Stevenson's South Seas adventure written in collaboration with his stepson, Lloyd Osbourne. Published in 1894, the year of Stevenson's death.

Bound in the original smooth metallic olive-green cloth with the striking ship, waves, and setting sun design stamped in black across the front board. The spine is lettered and decorated in black, with William Heinemann's circular publisher's monogram stamped on the lower rear board. The unusual metallic cloth retains a particularly pleasing sheen and presents very well.

This copy retains the complete 20-page William Heinemann publisher's catalogue dated August 1894, an important point in identifying the earliest issue of the English edition.

Condition: Very Good. Original cloth remains remarkably attractive, with strong black pictorial decoration and considerable original metallic sheen. Light rubbing and wear at the spine ends and corners, with some surface wear to the spine. Rear board exceptionally clean. Binding sound. Interior generally clean with scattered foxing, most noticeable on the preliminary leaves and occasional pages. Complete with the 20-page August 1894 publisher's advertisements.

A handsome and increasingly difficult-to-find example of the first English edition in its distinctive original publisher's binding.