Portraits of Places by Henry James

Boston: James R. Osgood and Company. 1884. First American edition, published one month after the London edition of December 1883 and printed from the Macmillan plates, but with a different introductory note. Duodecimo, 7.75 inches tall. Mustard cloth ruled in blind, spine lettered in gilt with gilt publisher's device. 376 pp.

Condition: Fair. Spine tips frayed with loss. Cloth moderately soiled and worn, corners worn through. Top edge dusty. Spine slightly cocked. Evidence of an erased pencil note to the front free endpaper; one pencil note at rear pastedown; pages tanned but clean. Binding secure.

Significance: James's second collection of travel writing, gathering essays first published in the Atlantic, the Century, the Galaxy and the New York Tribune between 1870 and 1882 — Venice and Italy, Paris, Rheims, Chartres, Rouen and Etretat, London and Warwickshire, closing with four North American pieces on Saratoga, Newport, Quebec and Niagara. Reportedly 1500 copies, against 1000 for the London first.