A Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Containing a Complete Account of the Wonderful and Thrilling Account of the Intrepid Subterranean Explorers, Prof. von Hardwigg, his Nephew Harry, and their Icelandic Guide, Hans Bjelke.
New York: Scribner, Armstrong & Co, No date but [1874]. Deluxe edition, sold by subscription only. Hardcover. This "scientific romance" marks the beginning of science fiction as a genre. Jules Verne was inspired by Charles Lyell's Geological Evidences of the Antiquity of Man (1863), and the trend away from a literal biblical account of the history of the Earth. "Science, my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth". This is the deluxe edition, sold by subscription only, printed on heavier paper, with a superb gilt decorated pictorial binding, amongst THE SCARCEST AND MOST DESIRABLE of editions, with the terra cotta cloth and beveled edge binding. Published with 52 illustrations by Edouard Riou.
8vo, frontispiece, 413pp, ads (6pp ads undated), all edges gilt. Gilt and black stamped pictorial covers, with gilt scene of men on raft at front cover, gilt illustration of men in crystal cave, and "Scribner, Armstrong & Co." at lower spine [first state (with "Scribner, Armstrong & Co." at the spine foot, rather than the later "Scribners"].
Some light thumbing evident at margins of some pages. Spine expertly rebacked with the original cloth blending in seamlessly. Overall, a very good copy.
The 1st edition was published in French in 1864 'Voyage au Centre de la Terre'; the 1st English edition appeared in 1872; Scribner Armstrong's 1st US edition came out in November 1873, though dated 1874; and late in 1874 Scribner Armstrong published this deluxe edition. Very good. Item #15543
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