Road to Oz – L Frank Baum – 1909 – True First Edition

The timeless classic ‘Wizard of Oz’ was first published in 1899 and featured numerous reissues and sequels. Sequels included this highly desirable novel ‘The Road to Oz’. While not as famous as the first installment in the series, ‘Road to Oz’ is one of the most popular if not the most popular sequel in the series – it follows the journey of Dorothy and Toto back to Oz. Along the way, the two encounter Shaggy Man, Tik-Tok, Scarecrow, and the Tin Man and other famous Oz characters.

This fine first edition, first printing was illustrated by John Neill and meets all the expected first edition points listed below.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Road to Oz
• Author: Frank L Baum
• Illustrator: John R Neill
• Publisher: Chicago: Reilly & Britton Co., 1909. First edition, first printing.
• Edition: First Printing First Edition 1909
  • Binding: ‘Reilly & Britton’ in both upper and lowercase font on spine
  • p. 34, line 4: ‘Toto on’ in perfect type
  • p. 121: page number listed on plate (removed in later printings)
  • p. 129: plate caption reads: “The Shaggy Man sat in the Starlight” with page number (removed in later printings)
  • end papers, ads: 7 books listed by Laura Bancroft and 4 by Baum on verso. [Bancroft was Baum’s pseudonym]
• Binding: Hardcover; original publisher’s pictorial cloth
• Format: Octavo (8vo), single volume
• Size: ~ 9.5 in x 7.25 in (23.5 cm x 18 cm)

• Collation: 261, [3]
• Illustration: Illustrated throughout by John R Neill

• Contents Include:
  • Full Text

• Provenance: Handwritten signature of Harold L. Wood, 1909

Condition:

Very Good. Cloth binding is secure, with moderate rubbing to pictorial boards, spine ends, and corners. Cloth splitting at spine has been repaired. Text block is intact and secure, with pages clean and complete with consistent age-toning.

Why Collect This?

• This first edition, first printing of The Road to Oz represents Baum’s fifth Oz book and one of the most sought-after sequels due to its early appearance of major recurring characters and its central place in Oz canon.
• The volume contains John R. Neill’s iconic illustrations, which helped define the visual identity of Oz and remain a major reason collectors prize early Oz editions.
• The book exhibits all bibliographic first-printing points established by Bienvenue & Schmidt, giving buyers confidence in its authenticity and long-term collectible value.
• Early Oz titles in original decorative cloth continue to show strong market performance, and this example provides an attractive and accurate representation of Reilly & Britton’s first-state production.

Item Number: #31250