The Heathen Chinee.
Chicago: The Western News Co, 1870. Harte celebrated satire in anti Chinese feeling which was perverted into a war cry against 'Chinese cheap labor". Very important and scarce, this is the original version, with original printed envelope. A satiric look at race relations which established Bret Harte's literary reputation.
9 cartoon series in the original envelope, with story by Bret Harte and cartoons by Joseph Hull. Numbered cartoons with text below depict a card game between 2 western miners ("Truthful James" and "Bill Nye") and a Chinese ("Ah Sin"), in which the Chinese is more proficient at cheating at cards, and for which he is beaten by a mob. With the line ""Can this be? We are ruined by cheap Chinese labor".
5 x 7 1/4 in cards, in original envelope, with a small bookseller's stamp laid in "Burnton's 92 Fourth Av" and with an inscription at the upper right. Original envelope dusty, with short tears at edges, cards themselves clean, very good condition. Very good condition. Item #14615
Price: $650.00