Puddn’head Wilson. By Mark Twain. Signed by John Groth. Signed Limited Edition. Limited Editions Club. New York, 1974.

Pudd’nhead Wilson is an important title among Twain’s Mississippi River writings. Set in the fictional Dawson’s Landing, the novel traverses decades and weaves together a fingerprint detective mystery and a lineage saga involving a Black slave switching her infant child with a white slaveowner’s child. The novel stands up to Twain’s other great works, including Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, but is perhaps more mature. It was initially met with mixed reviews, but in the latter half of the twentieth century, Twain scholars and readers alike found new appreciation for Pudd’nhead Wilson. This volume represents an important contribution to the text’s publication history. It was issued by the Limited Editions Club. It contains spectacular illustrations by John Groth.

This signed limited edition is signed by Groth on the colophon. It is #501 of 2,000 copies. It is in near-fine condition. In the original pictorial cloth, fine. Text block fine. In the original acetate jacket, about-fine with only minor fading and minor chipping and tears. In the original slipcase, near-fine with only minor soiling and rubbing. With the original pamphlet, near-fine in original wrappers with only faded spine.

A near-fine LEC edition of Puddn’head Wilson.