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Michael Strogoff: A Courier of the Czar by Jules Verne (RARE, First American Edition), 1927 📜✨🤩

Name: Michael Strogoff: A Courier of the Czar by Jules Verne (RARE, First American Edition), 1927 📜✨🤩
Brand: Wall Antiques
Price: 1650.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$1,650.00

Sale Sold out

1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a cornerstone work of adventure literature. The book, Michael Strogoff: A Courier of the Czar, is a captivating and thrilling novel from the legendary master of science fiction, Jules Verne.

As a rare, finely illustrated edition from 1927, this volume is a highly sought-after artifact for collectors of classic literature and adventure narratives. It offers a unique window into the intellectual and cultural fascination with exploration and communication in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This volume is an extraordinary find, representing a critical period in the history of science fiction.

2. About the Book 📖✍️✨

Michael Strogoff is a masterpiece of adventure and espionage. The story follows a courier of Tsar Alexander II who is sent on a perilous journey to Irkutsk to warn the Grand Duke, the Tsar's brother, of a Tatar invasion. The narrative is a gripping tale of danger, romance, and a race against time, with the protagonist, Michael Strogoff, facing a series of obstacles that test his courage and resilience. The book is a rich compendium of a life’s reflections and a unique window into the author’s perspective.

It is widely considered to be a cultural time capsule, capturing the ideals of honor and a deep appreciation for the art of storytelling. The physical book itself, with its beautiful illustrations by N.C. Wyeth and carefully typeset pages, makes it a fascinating artifact.

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️✨

Jules Verne (1828-1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. He is best known for his pioneering works of science fiction, including Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, and Around the World in Eighty Days.

Verne is widely regarded as a founding father of the science fiction genre, celebrated for his imaginative plots and his meticulous attention to scientific detail. His work is a serious examination of the human experience and a constant reinvention of the historical narrative.

N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945) was a celebrated American artist and illustrator. He is known for his vibrant, dramatic paintings and his illustrations for classic children's literature, including Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Last of the Mohicans. The collaboration between a legendary author and a master illustrator makes this edition a unique and highly desirable item. Wyeth's illustrations bring Verne's epic tale to life, capturing the drama and scale of the Russian landscape and the courage of its hero.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

This edition, published in 1927, is an artifact of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of immense social and economic change. It was a time of great interest in Russian and European history and a desire to document the lives of those who had built the nation. The book’s publication reflects a widespread desire for stories that celebrated the complexities of the American experience. It also comes at a time when American literary criticism was becoming a more sophisticated and serious genre.

The volume reflects the values of its time and provides an honest look at the lives of a community that was often overlooked by mainstream culture. It serves as an important record of the transitional period between a nation divided and one striving for unity and a new national identity.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This book is intended for a curator of adventure literature, a scholar of French and American literary criticism, or a private collector of fine bindings and classic illustrations. This is a perfect fit for a collection that cherishes the intimate story behind a social movement.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

As a rare first American edition from 1927, this book represents a genuinely scarce, non-replicable asset class. First and early editions of important works of literary criticism are highly sought after by collectors. The book was published to critical acclaim, but its scarcity in a well-preserved state makes it a premium and highly desirable item. The price is a direct reflection of the book's rarity, its historical significance, and its condition for an item of its age.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

This volume is a handsome survivor from the late 19th century, showing honest and authentic wear consistent with its age.

The original binding is in solid state, with a tight and sound binding.
The covers show rubbing and scuffing, particularly along the edges and on the spine.
The pages are free from any major tears or stains, and the interior text block is clean.
There is a prior ownership inscription, which adds a unique layer of history.

8. Translation of Inscriptions/Ephemera (Conditional) ✍️📜🔤

This book contains a personal inscription on a front endpaper, which provides a rich history of its ownership and journey. The inscription reads:

"Xmas 1927 Auntie Darsil Uncle Burke"

The inscription is a personal gift note, dating the book to its first Christmas in 1927.

There is also a small pencil inscription on the endpaper, which reads:

"2 50"

9. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

Michael Strogoff is a rare Jules Verne novel that is not science fiction.
The story's central plot device involves a scientific phenomenon called the Leidenfrost effect, which is when a liquid, in this case, tears, protects the corneas from a hot blade, allowing Michael Strogoff to avoid being blinded.
The town of Marfa, Texas, was named after the character Marfa Strogoff in this novel.
The book has been adapted into numerous films, television shows, and even a board game.