Scarce First Edition of Robert Frost's North of Boston

Robert Frost. NORTH OF BOSTON. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1914. First edition; second issue [for American publication], one of 150 copies with Holt cancellans title-page. Gray-brown boards backed with brown cloth, with cream paper labels on upper board and spine. 8vo; 143, [1]pp. Crane A3.1.

8 3/16 x 6 1/16 in.

After Twilight, which exists in only one printed copy, North of Boston was the first of Frost's books published in the United States and his second commercially published book. The first edition of North of Boston was printed in an edition of 1000 copies, with 350 of these sold by the London publisher David Nutt in 1914 and 150 of them sold by Nutt to the New York publisher Henry Holt in early 1915. These 150 copies, issued with a cancellans Holt title-leaf, were published in February 1915 and they immediately sold out. The popularity of the book led Holt to publish the first American edition the following month.

"Some time ago another volume of verse went to the same publisher and one morning Robert Frost found himself famous. His work was hailed as striking a new note in modern poetry. . . . The book was called "North of Boston," and its content bore out its title, being a series of vivid pictures of New England life and character." (from a 1915 newspaper clipping found in this copy of the book, laid in loose.)

Expected light age wear to boards including mild foxing and toning, light edge wear, a couple of minor stains and marks, and rubbed corners; spine rubbed with light wear to ends and losses to label as is typical; a very clean interior with areas of light toning and an occasional minor spot; offsetting on pgs. 132 and 133 from a newspaper clipping about Frost from 1915 laid in loose; an easily very good copy, lacking the rare jacket.