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Herman Melville: The Susan Jaffe Tane Collection

Cornell University Library celebrates the arrival of an extraordinary collection of rare Herman Melville materials. Collected and donated by Susan Jaffe Tane, the Tane Melville collection comprises first and later editions of all of Melville’s published works, as well as key manuscript documents and letters. Rare books in the collection include the scarce first edition, first issue of Melville’s first novel, Narrative of a Four Months’ Residence Among the Natives of a Valley of the Marquesas Islands; or, A Peep at Polynesian Life (London, 1846); a copy of the American edition of the same title (by then renamed Typee), inscribed by Melville to his cousin; a first edition of Moby Dick; and all the books Melville published during the latter part of his writing career, most of which failed to reach a wide audience. The collection also includes an important assortment of letters and documents which record valuable information about the publication and sale of Melville’s books.

The Tane Melville collection provides a magnificent overview of the career of one of America’s most important authors. Cornell University Library is grateful to Susan Tane for her generous contribution to the study and scholarship of nineteenth-century American literature and for her gift of this superb collection.

Herman Melville. Narrative of a Four Months’ Residence Among the Natives of a Valley of the Marquesas Islands; or, A Peep at Polynesian Life. London: John Murray, 1846.
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The Tane collection features a scarce pair of the first editions, first and second issues, of Melville’s first book. This London edition precedes the American edition, published later the same year as Typee. The English edition was set in type directly from Melville’s own manuscript; the American edition was set from proof sheets of the English edition.

Herman Melville. Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life. New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1846.
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Melville’s first book—an exciting autobiographical narrative of his escape from an American whaler in the South Pacific and his residence in a valley of cannibals where he was kept captive until his rescue—was popular and sold well. First editions of Typee preserved in original wrappers are scarce.

Herman Melville. Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life. New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1846.
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This copy of Typee was inscribed and signed by Melville to his cousin Maria Peebles. The volume is inscribed twice by Melville. The first inscription is upside down on the rear endpaper. Realizing his error, Melville then turned the book over and inscribed it on the front free endpaper.

Herman Melville. Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1847.
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This copy of the first American edition of Melville’s second book, published in two volumes, survives in its original paper wrappers.

Manuscript Profit and Loss Statement. Richard Bentley. Manuscript Profit and Loss Statement. March 4, 1852.
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This sales analysis of Melville’s books was produced by his London publisher, Richard Bentley. Although Melville’s first two books, Typee and Omoo, were popular with readers, this sales statement provides poignant details about the dismal sales of the English editions of his subsequent works: Mardi, Redburn, White Jacket, and The Whale (Moby Dick). Shown here are publication dates, quantities printed, number of copies sold and unsold, and amounts paid to the author, for a loss totaling more than £453.

Letter to John Murray. John R. Brodhead. Letter to John Murray. February 20, 1847.
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In this letter Melville’s London agent, John Brodhead, offers the proof sheets of Melville’s second novel, Omoo, to the publisher John Murray for his examination and decision.

Letter to Harnden & Co. John R. Brodhead. Letter to Harnden & Co., Liverpool. February 18, 1847.
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This letter describes the seizure of Melville’s Omoo by English Customs officers. The American proof sheets of the book had been sent to London for publication in an English edition. Customs had seized the sheets, mistakenly believing them to be a case of American piracy of an English book. Brodhead writes to Customs officials in an attempt to resolve the situation.

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