Moby Dick
by Melville, Herman
Melville's classic was first published in England as three volumes titled The Whale in October 1851. Slow sales of Melville's previously books convinced Publisher L. Richard Bentley to reduce the printing to only 500 copies, and of that, only 300 sold in the first 4 months. The remaining unbound sheets were bound in a cheaper casing in 1852, and in 1853 there were still enough remaining sheets to again bind into an even cheaper edition.
Melville changed the title to Moby Dick a month later, November 1851, when the American Version was published in one volume by Harper & Brothers in NY. Of the 2,951 copies printed, 125 were review copies. About 1,500 sold in 11 days, but then sales slowed to less than 300 the next year. After two years copies of the first edition were still available, and almost 300 were destroyed in the 1853 fire of Harper's warehouse. Most of the first editions have orange end-papers, although there are 2 known volumes with rare white-endpapers.
Because of Nineteenth-century printing practices, and the time-lapse between when the first-editions were published and Melville became collectible, oxidized paper, bumped and chipped spines, and brittle wrappers are all common for even the most expensive and collectible of these books, which can sell from $35,000 to $100,000. Also, expect heavy wear and maybe even minor repair. Another collectible edition is the 1930 first edition illustrated by Rockwell Kent, a three-volume set published by the Lakeside Press with acetate dust jackets in an aluminum slipcase. These range in value from $9,000 to $11,000.
A total of 3,215 copies of Moby-Dick were sold during Melville's life (he died in 1891). Today, Moby-Dick is considered one of the greatest American novels. -First Edition Identification
Other Collectible or Notable Editions
A 1930 edition of Moby Dick, illustrated by Rockwell Kent, was first published as a three-volume set in an aluminum case by Lakeside Press. The Lakeside Press edition was limited to 1000 copies.
Random House also published a trade edition of the Rockwell Kent illustrated Moby Dick in 1930.
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Moby Dick; Or, The Whale.
by Melville, Herman
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1851
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$111,039.50
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Moby Dick
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- As New. Books unread and in crisp, clean and collectable condition
- Jacket Condition
- Insignificant rubbing on slipcase
- Edition
- Limited Edition No. 1106 of 1750
- Published
- 2009
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Poole, Dorset, GBR
- Item Price
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NZ$6,195.85
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Moby-Dick; or, The Whale
by MELVILLE, Herman
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1851
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Galena, Illinois, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$33,311.85
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Moby Dick
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Published
- 1930
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Decatur, Indiana, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$469.78
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Moby Dick or The White Whale
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- Used - Very good tight copy with a little wear to edges of boards, minor bumping to corners, with moderate bumping to front right botto
- Jacket Condition
- none issued
- Edition
- 1st UK Putnam's Sons edition
- Published
- c. 1901
- Quantity Available
- 1
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Portland, Dorset, GBR
- Item Price
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NZ$3,204.75
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Moby Dick, or, The Whale
by MELVILLE, Herman (1819-1891)
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1851
- Binding
- 12mo
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
New York, New York, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$40,999.20
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Moby Dick or the Whale
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- Used - In very good condition. Fully-bound in richly black leather with raised bands and gilt lettering on spine and covers. All Edges
- Jacket Condition
- no dj as issued
- Edition
- Easton Press, 1977, The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written: Collect
- Published
- (1977)
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Nashua, New Hampshire, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$298.95
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Moby-Dick; or, The Whale.
by MELVILLE, Herman.
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1851
- Quantity Available
- 1
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London, GBR
- Item Price
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NZ$144,213.75
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Moby Dick or The Whale
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1930
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$1,452.05
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Moby Dick
by Melville, Herman; Geismar, Maxwell (ed.)
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1962
- Binding
- Quantity Available
- 1
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-
Maplewood, Missouri, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$20.50
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Moby Dick Or The Whale
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- Used - Good-
- Published
- 1937
- Quantity Available
- 1
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-
Vernon, British Columbia, CAN
- Item Price
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NZ$99.60
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Moby Dick; or, The Whale; [Introduction by Clifton Fadiman and Illustrations by Boardman Robinson]
by Melville, Herman
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1943
- Binding
- Slipcased
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Sebastopol, California, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$58.08
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Moby Dick
by Melville, Herman
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- N/A
- Edition
- First US Edition Thus/Second Printing
- Published
- 2015
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9781435161405
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Albany, California, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$102.50
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MOBY DICK, OR THE WHALE
by Melville, Herman (novel); Kent, Rockwell (illustrations)
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First Edition Thus
- Published
- 1930
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Stephenson, Virginia, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$6,406.12
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Moby-Dick (Everyman's Library)
by Melville, Herman
- Condition
- Used:Good
- Edition
- Reprint
- Published
- 1991-11-26
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780679405597
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
HOUSTON, Texas, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$128.11
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MOBY DICK. Or, The Whale
by MELVILLE. HERMAN. ; KENT. ROCKWELL. Illustrates
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First edition.
- Published
- 1930
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
London, Greater London, GBR
- Item Price
-
NZ$1,869.44
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MOBY DICK
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- Used
- ISBN
- 9780895773227
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Morrinsville, NZL
- Item Price
-
NZ$13.67
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Moby Dick
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Edition
- First
- Published
- 1943
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$67.48
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Moby-Dick; or, The Whale
by MELVILLE, HERMAN
- Condition
- Used - First American Edition; preceded slightly by the English edition, although this edition has numerous additions to that text. Pub
- Published
- 1851
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Newton, Massachusetts, USA
- Item Price
-
NZ$102,498.00
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Moby Dick
by Herman Melville
- Condition
- New
- Published
- Binding
- Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781681778488
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Woodside, New York, USA
- Item Price
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NZ$97.27