Kim

The Great Writers Library

Hardcover

Third Person

Fiction

332

20

2018-06-26 18:15:57

First Edition / First State

Absolutely—let’s unpack Kim by Rudyard Kipling from bibliographic, historical, and market perspectives:

📘 Overview of Kim by Rudyard Kipling

• Published: 1901 by Doubleday, Page & Company (New York)
• Genre: Historical adventure novel
• Setting: British India during the late 19th century
• Plot: Follows Kimball O’Hara, an orphaned son of an Irish soldier, who becomes a disciple of a Tibetan lama and a spy for the British Secret Service. The novel explores themes of identity, imperialism, espionage, and spiritual journey.

🏛️ Historical Significance

• Imperial Context: Kim is considered Kipling’s masterpiece and a defining work of British imperial literature. It captures the complexities of colonial India through vivid characters and landscapes.
• Literary Legacy: The novel is praised for its rich depiction of Indian culture and its pioneering role in the spy genre. It influenced later espionage fiction and remains a subject of postcolonial critique.
• Cultural Impact: Kipling’s portrayal of East-West dynamics and the Great Game (British-Russian rivalry in Central Asia) has made Kim a staple in both literary and historical studies.

📚 Edition Analysis

Based on your uploaded images:

• Title Page: States “Doubleday, Page & Company, 1901” — the first American edition.
• Copyright Page: Lists 1900 and 1901, consistent with first edition printing.
• Cover Design: The dark green cloth with gilt lettering and sailboat motif matches known first edition bindings.


✅ Conclusion: This appears to be a first American edition, published in 1901. The true first edition was published in the UK by Macmillan in October 1901, but Doubleday’s edition was released concurrently or slightly earlier in the U.S., making it a legitimate first edition in the American market.

💰 Valuation

The value of a first edition of Kim depends on several factors:

Condition Estimated Value Range Notes
Fine/Near Fine $1,000–$2,500 Clean binding, no foxing, no inscriptions
Very Good $500–$1,000 Minor wear, clean pages
Good/Fair $200–$500 Worn binding, possible markings
With Dust Jacket $3,000+ Extremely rare for this title

Sources: Auction records, dealer listings, and comparative bibliographic databases mybookworth.com.

If your copy has no internal markings, strong spine, and clean pages, it could be in the $800–$1,500 range. Provenance, inscriptions, or association with Kipling or notable figures could raise its value significantly

Would you like help drafting a catalog entry or provenance note for this copy? I can also assist with image enhancement or inscription transcription if needed.

The book in your images is ”Kim” by Rudyard Kipling, published by Doubleday, Page & Co. in 1901. Based on the details visible, here is an overview of its background, edition status, and value.
Overview
Kim is often considered Rudyard Kipling’s masterpiece. Set in late 19th-century India, it follows the adventures of Kimball ”Kim” O’Hara, an orphaned Irish boy living as a vagabond in Lahore. The story is a ”picaresque” novel that explores the diverse cultures, religions, and people of India while Kim is recruited into ”The Great Game”—the real-life political conflict and espionage between the British and Russian Empires in Central Asia.
Is it a First Edition?
The Doubleday, Page & Co. 1901 printing is the First American Edition. Interestingly, it was published in October 1901, roughly two weeks before the British edition, making it the true first appearance of the book in hardcover format.
To determine if it is a First State (the earliest version of that first printing), you can check for a specific printing error:
* The Verse Headings: Open the book to the start of the chapters. In the first state, rhyming verse headings appear only at the beginning of Chapters VIII (8) and XIII (13). If other chapters have verse headings as well, it is a later state or printing.
Historical Importance
Kim is highly significant for several reasons:
* The ”Great Game”: It popularized the term ”The Great Game” for international espionage and power rivalry.
* Cultural Portrait: It is praised for its vivid, detailed, and often sympathetic portrayal of Indian life and the ”Grand Trunk Road,” though modern critics also analyze it as a document of British Imperialist attitudes.
* Literary Status: It is ranked among the top 100 English-language novels of the 20th century by the Modern Library and remains a cornerstone of adventure literature.
Value
The value depends heavily on the condition of the green cloth binding and whether the gilt (gold) lettering on the spine is still bright.
* Standard First American Edition: In ”Good” to ”Very Good” condition, this edition typically sells for $100 to $300.
* Exceptional Condition: Copies in ”Near Fine” condition (sharp corners, bright gold, clean pages) can reach $500+.
* Worn Copies: If the spine is faded (sunned) or the edges are frayed, the value may drop to the $30–$75 range.
> Note: The British edition by Macmillan (red cover) is often more sought after by high-end collectors and can command significantly higher prices, but your American edition is the ”true” first publication.
>
Would you like me to help you identify the specific ”state” of your copy by walking through the chapter headings?

Based on the images you provided, here is a summary and valuation of the book:
Book Summary
The book is ”Kim” by Rudyard Kipling.
* Plot: Set against the backdrop of the ”Great Game”—the political rivalry between Russia and Britain in Central Asia—the novel follows the adventures of Kimball O’Hara, a young Irish orphan in Lahore, India. Kim, as he is known, is an incredibly clever and resourceful street urchin. He befriends a Tibetan lama on a spiritual quest and becomes his disciple, traveling with him across India. During his journey, Kim is recruited by the British Secret Service and trained as a spy, becoming a key player in the Great Game. The novel is a masterpiece of adventure, espionage, and cultural exploration, celebrated for its vivid portrayal of life in British India.
First Edition Status and Value
Based on the images, this is a true first edition of ”Kim.” Here’s why:
* Title Page: The title page shows the publisher as ”DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY” and the year as ”1901.” This is the correct publisher and publication year for the first edition. The publisher’s name is also in the correct format, ”Doubleday, Page & Company,” as they had not yet changed their name.
* Copyright Page: The copyright page lists ”Copyright, 1900, 1901, BY RUDYARD KIPLING.” The inclusion of both years is correct for the first edition, as it was serialized in McClure’s Magazine starting in 1900 before being published as a book in 1901.
* Binding: The book is bound in green cloth with an illustration of a sailing boat, which is the correct binding for the first American edition.
Value
The value of a first edition of ”Kim” can vary significantly based on its condition. A book in the condition shown (which appears to be good for its age, though a full assessment would require more detail) would likely have the following approximate value:
* Average Condition: A typical first edition without a dust jacket can be valued in the $75 - $250 range.
* Good to Very Good Condition: If the book has minimal wear, is tightly bound, and the gilt on the cover is bright, the value could be $250 - $600+.
* Excellent Condition with Original Dust Jacket: A first edition in exceptional condition with its extremely rare original dust jacket could be worth $1,000 or more.
The book in your photos appears to be in solid ”good” condition, with some expected wear for its age. Given this, its retail value would likely fall somewhere in the $100 - $350 range, but this is a broad estimate. An antiquarian book dealer would be able to give a more precise valuation after a physical inspection.

Based on the images provided, here is an overview of the book, its historical importance, and an assessment of its edition and potential value.
Book Overview: Kim by Rudyard Kipling
The book is Kim, a novel by Rudyard Kipling. The images show a copy published by Doubleday, Page & Company in New York, with a copyright date of 1900, 1901. The front cover is a green cloth with a simple illustration of a boat, and the spine has the title and author. The title page confirms the author and publisher, and the book’s spine indicates a net price of $1.90. The book is an ”inclusive edition” of Rudyard Kipling’s verse from 1885-1918, which is a different book entirely from Kim, suggesting the dust jacket may not be original to the book, or it is a collected works. However, the title page and cover both clearly say ”KIM”.
Historical Importance
Kim is considered one of Rudyard Kipling’s masterpieces and holds significant historical and literary importance.
* The ”Great Game”: The novel is set against the backdrop of ”The Great Game,” the political rivalry and espionage between the British and Russian empires in Central Asia. The novel itself is credited with popularizing the term.
* Espionage Genre: It is often considered one of the first great spy novels, influencing the genre for years to come. Former CIA director Allen Dulles was a known admirer of the book.
* Cultural Portrait: The novel is renowned for its detailed and vivid portrayal of the people, cultures, and religions of India during the British colonial period.
* Kipling’s Controversial Legacy: While celebrated for its literary merit, the book, like much of Kipling’s work, reflects and at times glorifies the imperialist attitudes of the era. This has made it a subject of modern critical debate.
Is it a First Edition?
Based on the images and common first edition characteristics, your copy appears to be a first American edition.
* The title page lists the publisher as Doubleday, Page & Company, New York, 1901. The first US edition was published by this company in 1901.
* The copyright page shows th.

Doubleday, Page & Company

9781613826928

2011-05-01

1

2018-06-26 18:15:57