The Raven – Edgar Allan Poe – 1884 | Enormous Doré Folio First Edition

‘The Raven’ is perhaps Poe’s most famous and well-recognized work, a poem that tells a tale of a raven’s mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man’s slow fall into madness. The poem makes use of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references.

While the poem itself is highly desirable, this particular edition is even more popular due to the Gustave Dore illustrations and the enormous folio size!

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Raven
• Author(s): Edgar Allan Poe
• Illustrator(s): Gustave Doré
• Contributor(s): Edmund Clarence Stedman (Commentary)
• Publisher: New York, Harper & Brothers
• Edition: First edition, 1884
• Format: elephant folio, single volume
• Binding: Decorative cloth
• Size:  18.75in x 15in (47.5cm x 38cm)
• Collation: 23, [1]
• Illustrations: 26 full-page steel engravings
• Contents Include:
  • Complete text of Poe’s The Raven
  • Stunning works of art by Dore
  • Introductory essay by Edmund C. Stedman
• Provenance: Includes contemporary articles and ephemera related to Poe

Condition:

Good. Bound in original decorative cloth with surface rubbing to the front cover and edges. Hinges are intact and strong. Internally complete; clean pages with gilt edges. Plates are securely bound, with captioned tissue guards present.

Why Collect This?

• First Doré-illustrated Raven printed in the United States
• Massive, oversized folio format uncommon for any book
• Includes original Poe-related ephemera and articles
• Appealing to collects of Poe, Dore, and books that spark a conversation

Item Number: #28889