The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Illustrated by John R. Neill, First Edition, First State, 1910

Baum, L. Frank. The Emerald City of Oz. Illustrated by John R. Neill. Chicago: The Reilly & Britton Co., (1910). First edition, first state. Illustrated by John R. Neal. Large octavo. In the original publisher’s binding “A” blue hardcover boards with cover paper illustration to front, blue and silver embossed titles and illustrations to the spine. Illustrated with 16 color plates with metallic green ink, and numerous text illustrations, and decorative endpapers. 

Presented is a first edition, first state of The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum. This book was published in Chicago by The Reilly & Britton Co., in 1910. It is presented in its original publisher’s binding “A” design, with blue hardcover boards with a stunning front cover paper illustration in gorgeous gilt, red, blue, green and blacks, and blue and silver embossed titles and illustrations to the spine. 

Inside, the book is profusely illustrated with John R. Neill's sixteen color plate illustrations, numerous text illustrations and decorative borders, plus illustrated endpapers of Dorothy Ozma of Oz. In this first edition, first state printing, the color plate illustrations and the cover art are distinguished by the use of emerald-green metallic ink, which gives a shining, shimmering effect. The book’s publisher, Reilly & Britton, was experimenting with metallic inks at the time. The first edition of Baum's The Sea Fairies and Sky Island, published the next year, also had metallic ink borders on its color plates. Later printings of The Emerald City dropped the use of the expensive metallic ink, however, leaving white spaces instead. Additionally, this first state printing lists five titles in the “Books by L. Frank Baum” advertisement on the back of the ownership page, another important first state identification point. 

The Emerald City of Oz is the sixth book in Baum’s Oz series. In the story, Dorothy and her Uncle Henry and Aunty Em move to the Emerald City, touring the Quadling Country and meeting unique and magical characters and creatures along the way. Meanwhile, the evil Nome King plots to conquer Oz and invade the Emerald City. By the story’s end, Ozma uses the Magic Belt to send the Nome King and his invading allies back to their respective lands and Glinda makes the Oz invisible to the outside world, to stave off future attacks. This is the first time in the Oz series that Baum made use of double plots for one of the books. 

The Emerald City of Oz was purported to be Baum’s last book in the Oz series. Yet low sales for The Sea Fairies and Sky Island and his own financial pressures lead him back to Oz with the 1913 publication of The Patchwork Girl of Oz. He went on to write seven additional Oz books in the years to follow. 

CONDITION:

Large octavo. First edition, first state, binding “A.” In the original publisher’s blue hardcover boards with cover paper illustration to front, blue and silver embossed titles and illustrations to the spine. The back board is very clean. Bumping to spine and front corners but in very good condition, now wrapped in mylar. Inked gift inscription on front free endpaper that reads "N(V?)orueau L. Mausfield from Uncle Chester." Five titles listed on the "Books by L. Frank  Baum" advertisement. Illustrated with 16 color plates with metallic green ink, and numerous text illustrations, and decorative endpapers. Color frontispiece is titled "He led them into his queer mansion." Very clean interior, with only light toning to pages. No rips or tears. 296 pp. 

Book Dimensions: 9 3/8" H x 7 1/4" W x 1 3/8" D. 

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.