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xiii, [3], 303 pp. Translated from the original French. Wood engravings throughout; 2 maps. (8vo) original decorative green cloth, stamped and lettered in green and gilt, front cover with gilt vignette of Captain Nemo using a sextant and spine with gilt vignette of Nemo manning the wheel of the ship, brown endpapers, all edges gilt. First American Edition, published by George Smith, second issue. 

The classic tale of Captain Nemo and his submarine the Nautilus by the "father of Science Fiction." First published in France in parts from 1869 to 1870; this being the first American edition. Originally, the book was published by James R. Osgood in the same month as the first British edition, but for some reason only a small number of copies were printed. It is understood that George M. Smith took over the publishing with a much larger print run and with a similar binding, except Osgood's binding has a jellyfish vignette on the front cover and the Smith issue has a vignette of Captain Nemo. Also, the Osgood edition reads "..Under the Sea," but this Smith issue reads "..Under the Seas. " Second Smith issue, without the words "The End" on page 303 at end of text. Myers 56.