First Trade Edition of Steinbeck's East of Eden, In Dust Jacket

John Steinbeck. EAST OF EDEN. New York: The Viking Press, 1952. First trade edition (after first limited issue); first issue with "bite" for "bight" on p. 281. Signed "John Steinbeck" on the half-title. Hardcover. Publisher's green cloth-covered boards stamped in dark green on the front cover and lettered and ruled in black over brown on spine; in first issue unclipped ($4.50) pictorial jacket with Steinbeck's photo on the back. 8vo; [vi], [1-2]-602pp. Goldstone & Payne A32b.

8 5/8 x 5 7/8 in.

From the Wood Family’s Historic Mulberry Hill Home, Edenton, North Carolina

Boards with scuffing and faint staining, wear and subtle toning to extremities, corners bumped, and spine with slight separation from text block and ends rubbed with associated fraying at tail; an overall very clean interior with light toning, occasional minor spotting and handling wear, infrequent gutter wear and staining, and marks at rear endpapers; jacket with toning, light scuffing and grime, a couple of small stains, offsetting from boards to spine interior, rubbing and creasing at spine and folds, and mostly light edge wear with typical chipping and small tears, with small losses at head of spine. Signature not authenticated. An approaching very good copy in like jacket.