[Literature] Twain, Mark (Clemens, Samuel L.). The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Hartford, Conn, etc.: The American Publishing Company, 1876. First American edition, first printing (printed on wove paper, versos of half-title and frontispiece blank). Square 8vo. 274, (2), (4, ads) pp. Illustrated with a wood engraved frontispiece and wood engraved in-text illustrations by True Williams and others. Publisher's blue cloth-covered boards, stamped in black and in gilt, slightly cocked, rubbing to joints and extremities, corners moderately worn, spine lightly worn, spine ends slightly frayed, boards lightly soiled; all edges trimmed; peach free endpapers; single flyleaf at front, three flyleaves at rear, laid paper; possibly recased; front and rear hinges worn; wear along fore-edge of prelims and some text at front, especially pp. (XV)/XVI; scattered soiling and spotting to text; intermittent creasing to top corners; scattered small short closed tears along edges; residue from removed sticker on pp. 113 and 237. BAL 3369; Johnson, pp. 27-30; Grolier 100 American 79; Peter Parley to Penrod 43.

First edition, first issue of Mark Twain's classic tale of childhood, a cornerstone of American literature. "The irresponsibility, the love of odd adventure, and the sense of natural justice as opposed to the village code, which characterize the heroes of this book and its sequel Huckleberry Finn, presented a sharp contrast to the Sunday School or rags-to-riches literature which was then the common fare doled out to children... these books let fresh air into the minds of parents who had shut the door on their own childhood, and they will be classics the world over as long as there are boys." (Grolier)

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Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

Books and Manuscripts

[Literature] Twain, Mark (Clemens, Samuel L.). The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Books and Manuscripts

[Literature] Twain, Mark (Clemens, Samuel L.). The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

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