CLEMENS, Samuel Langhorne (“Mark Twain”) (1835-1910). The Writings of… New York: Gabriel Wells, 1923.

34 (of 35) volumes, 8vo. Engraved title vignettes, numerous photogravures and plates including frontispiece after drawings, paintings, etc. by various artists; each with printed tissue guards. Half brown levant gilt, spines in 6 compartments with raised bands, compartments elegantly tooled in gilt, gilt-lettering in 2, top edges gilt, others uncut (vol. 1 recently rebound to match the others by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, faint gutter dampstaining in vol. 1, lacking vol. 2).

LIMITED EDITION, number 923 of 1024 copies of the “Definitive Edition” SIGNED BY MARK TWAIN (“S. L. Clemens/Mark Twain”) on the front flyleaf of Volume I with the attestation on the facing page signed by Clemens biographer and executor, Albert Bigelow Paine: “The fly-leaf was signed by Mark Twain in 1906 in anticipation of the present definitive edition of his works”. According to the prospectus, the first 100 copies were set aside to be put into fine bindings. “It was Mark Twain's most cherished desire that a definitive and complete edition of his entire literary output be published… a project which ever since he passed away, has been increasingly demanded by the public” (from the prospectus). Three-years later, in 1925, Albert Bigelow Paine's 2-volume edition of Twain's autobiography was added to the set (not seen here). A beautifully bound set. BAL 3691.