BAL 158/159; BAL states "there were at least three printings dated 1869 [sic] before the notice was added to p. 341; and, four 1869 printings have been noted without the Part One statement on the spine"

Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) which was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. Alcott wrote the book over several months at the request of her publisher. Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her three sisters. Little Women was an immediate commercial and critical success, with readers demanding to know more about the characters. Alcott quickly completed a second volume (titled Good Wives in the United Kingdom, although this name originated from the publisher and not from Alcott). It was also successful. The two volumes were issued in 1880 as a single novel titled Little Women. [wikipedia]

Octavo, Two Volumes. In Good condition. Bound in publisher's uniform terracotta cloth with brown-coated endpapers. Moderate wear and rubbing to bindings overall, moderate peeling to heads and tails of spines, some bumping to corners, some gatherings loosening. Matching bookplates to front pastedowns, dated 1894, marking these as volumes 1 and 2 of a personal library, name in ink to second free end paper. Interior free of most age-marks. Each volume with frontispiece with tissue-guard and 3 plates, as issued. Publishers ads at rear of both volumes. All eight plates have been colored in an early hand.

CONTENTS: Vol. I. “Part One” (vi, 7-341 pages, [1], 3, 2, 11, 12, 15-20.) (First Edition, Early Printing. Tear to lower fore corner of page 211, with small loss to text. Notice for "Little Women, Part Two" on page 341 and no 'Part One' statement to spine.) – Vol. II. “Part Two” (iv, 359 pages, [1], 15, 12, 11, 3, 2, 18, 19, 20) (First Edition, Third State. Large peeling along lower rear hinge. Note on page iv reading "Little Women, Part First, is published in a volume uniform with this," 5 entries on page [364], and "Handy Volume Series / I. / Happy Thoughts...." on page [365]). AS Consignment. Shelved in Case 2.

Also sold with 'Old-Fashioned Girl' and 'Little Men', Boston: Robert Brothers, 1870/1871, both in Fair condition, with hand-colored plates and marked volumes 3/4 of the personal library.