THE FIRST PRINTING OF CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
Prestuplenie I Nakazanie [Crime and Punishment]
Bazunov, Prats and Veidenshtraukh, 1867.
First edition. Two volumes bound in contemporary quarter Russian roan, over marbled boards with speckled edges. Wanting half titles. Both volumes neatly rebacked with some wear to the corners. A stain to the title page of volume one and occasional spotting throughout. Final three leaves of vol. I remargined and possibly supplied from another copy. Light marginal stain to title of vol. II, but text generally clean. Overall a very presentable copy of a notoriously difficult book to find in acceptable condition.
The first edition of the author's second and most famous novel, following the juvenile novel, Poor Folk, by some twenty years. It was originally serialised in the literary journal, Russkii Vestnik (The Russian Messenger) in twelve monthly instalments during 1866, which accounts for the words "izdanie isravlennoe" (revised edition) on the title pages of the first edition. An epilogue was added at the insistence of the publishers who found the ending unacceptable to the general public.
First editions are rarely available in commerce, with only five examples sold at auction in the last forty years. This is due in part to the fact that the paper stock used was of poor quality so the copies which do survive are seldom seen without significant staining or damage.
Stock ID: 32698
Sold
We have sold this item, but similar items
may become available in the future
