Emerald City of Oz – L Frank Baum – 1910 – True First Edition

“The Emerald City of Oz,” by L. Frank Baum is the sixth book in the “Land of Oz” series. The story follows Dorothy as she relocates her family to Oz, escaping financial troubles. Concurrently, the Nome King plans to invade Oz with various allies, each harboring secret motives. As Dorothy’s family tours Oz, they meet unique characters. Ultimately, Ozma and her friends foil the invasion using the Magic Belt and Fountain of Oblivion, while Glinda renders Oz invisible and unreachable for protection.

Published by the Reilly and Britton Co. in 1910, this first edition includes all 16 full-page color illustrations by John R. Neill that bring the magical world and its inhabitants to life.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Emerald City of Oz
• Author: Frank L Baum
• Illustrator: John R Neill
• Publisher: Chicago: The Reilly and Britton Co. Publishers, ©1910.
• Edition: First Printing First Edition ©1910.
  • Verso of Ownership leaf: Advertisement listing 5 titles through “John Dough and the Cherub”
  • Half-title: Correct printed dedication, “To Her Royal Highness Cynthia II of Syracuse”
• Binding: Hardcover; original publisher’s pictorial cloth
• Format: Octavo (8vo), single volume
• Size: ~9.25 in x 7.25 in (23.5 cm x 18 cm)

• Collation: 295, [1]
• Illustration: 16 color plates, including frontispiece, with metallic green ink, plus numerous in-text illustrations
• Contents Include:

• • Full Text

• References: Bienvenue and Schmidt, pg. 48-49; Hanff and Green, pg. 63

Condition:

Good. Cloth binding is secure, with moderate rubbing to corners and spine with some soiling to the boards. The pictorial front board retains the metallic green ink. The text block is tight and complete, with consistent age-toning to the pages. Many of the in-text illustrations have been colored in by a previous reader.

Why Collect This?

• This first edition, first state of The Emerald City of Oz represents a pivotal turning point in the Oz series and is one of the most sought-after Baum titles due to its storyline, importance, and early publication date.
• The volume features John R. Neill’s iconic color illustrations, including metallic green ink, a defining production feature that makes early copies visually striking and highly collectible.
• The book contains all primary first-state points described by Bienvenue & Schmidt and Hanff & Green, providing collectors with bibliographic assurance and long-term value stability.
• Early Reilly & Britton Oz titles continue to command strong interest among fantasy collectors, children’s literature specialists, and Baum enthusiasts, making this a desirable acquisition for both established and emerging collections.

Item Number: #31251