Martin Eden by Jack London (Art Nouveau Reprint), Circa 1913 📚⚜️✍️

This volume of Martin Eden by Jack London is a top-shelf decorative antique and a cornerstone of American philosophical fiction.

The book is an authenticated reprint from The Regent Press and features a superior pictorial cloth binding that defines its aesthetic value .

Its value is secured by the iconic status of the author and the strong Aesthetic Premium of its intricate Art Nouveau design, making it a stunning example of Edwardian book art.

2. About the Artwork/Book/Object 📖✍️✨ Martin Eden is Jack London's semi-autobiographical novel, charting the transformation of a poor, uneducated sailor into a celebrated writer through intense self-education and ambition. The novel is a stark critique of bourgeois society and literary commercialism, culminating in a tragic philosophical conclusion.

The book is a late edition, featuring a pictorial cloth binding stamped with a stylized lotus or thistle motif in red on the gray cloth . The interior features a frontispiece by The Kinneys. The decorative endpapers feature a stark, red-on-white floral design, a popular element in Edwardian gift editions.

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️ Jack London (1876–1916) was one of the most famous and culturally influential authors of the 20th century. His writing pioneered the American adventure and naturalism genres, exploring themes of class struggle, Darwinism, and individual will.

The publisher, The Regent Press, was one of many reprint houses that capitalized on the enormous and sustained demand for London's works in the early 20th century. This volume is a lasting record of the massive commercial success of American popular literature of the time.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜 The novel was originally copyrighted in 1908, reflecting the intense socialist and individualist philosophical debates of the Edwardian Era. London’s novel embodies the period's tension between self-made success and the limitations of class structure.

The existence of numerous reprints between 1909 and 1913 confirms the book’s status as a contemporary cultural touchstone. The Art Nouveau binding is a direct reflection of the period’s dominant aesthetic, transforming this intense philosophical narrative into a visually appealing domestic item .

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️ This volume is an essential acquisition for a curator of American Naturalism and Edwardian Decorative Bookbindings.

It is ideally suited for a collector who specializes in pictorial cloth bindings and early reprints of iconic works by major American authors. The book belongs in a collection that prioritizes canonical literary importance and the superior design of the Progressive Era.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️ This book is a Regent Press reprint. The volume is approximately 112 years old (Newest printing date of 1913).

Its scarcity is low as a reprint. However, the value is sustained by its superior Aesthetic Premium. The striking Art Nouveau pictorial cover design and the detailed list of early printings on the copyright page secure its curatorial value.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨ The physical condition has been assessed directly from the provided high-resolution photography. The book is deemed to be in Very Good Antique Condition.

• Binding: Bound in original publisher's gray cloth with a red pictorial Art Nouveau stamp on the cover and spine .

• Printing: Confirmed as a reprint, noting printings through October, 1913.

• Cover Art: The Art Nouveau stamping is vibrant and fully intact .

• Wear: The cloth binding shows light rubbing and minor fraying at the spine ends and corners.

• Text Block: The text block is secure and clean, with light toning appropriate for its age.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• The Autobiographical Core: The novel is famously based on London’s own grueling, self-driven attempt to elevate himself from poverty and his subsequent disillusionment with high society.

• The Dedication Quote: The dedication page features a powerful, philosophical quote that embodies the book’s theme of passion and drive: "Let me live out my years in heat of blood!".

• The Artistic Design: The Art Nouveau lotus/thistle stamp is a classic motif of the era, designed to elevate the book’s visual status as a piece of decorative art .

• The Printer's Pedigree: The book was printed and bound by J. J. Little & Ives Co., New York, a major commercial printing house of the era.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Object Type: Vintage Novel (Philosophical Fiction Reprint)

• Author: Jack London

• Title: Martin Eden

• Year/Period: Circa 1913 (Reprint Date)

• Publisher: The Regent Press

• Place of Origin: New York

• Format/Binding: Publisher’s Pictorial Cloth with Art Nouveau Stamping

• Edition/Rarity: Regent Press Reprint

• Transcription of Print History (Copyright Page): Copyright, 1908, By JACK LONDON. . . Reprinted September, 1909; . . . October, 1913.