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GREAT PIRATE STORIESEdited by Joseph Lewis French1922 Brentano’s First EditionOriginal Pictorial Dust JacketFrederic J. Waugh Jacket IllustrationOriginal $2.00 Price on Front FlapChristmas 1922 Presentation Copy
FRENCH, Joseph Lewis, editor. Great Pirate Stories. New York: Brentano’s, 1922.
A handsome and appealing 1922 first edition of Joseph Lewis French’s classic anthology of piracy and maritime adventure, retaining its scarce original illustrated dust jacket, complete with both flaps and the original $2.00 publisher’s price.
The volume gathers classic accounts and literary treatments of pirates, corsairs, buccaneers and sea rovers, ranging from historical narratives to adventure literature. French, who also edited Great Sea Stories, Great Ghost Stories, and Masterpieces of Mystery, assembled a broad selection intended to capture what he called the romance and violence of piracy at sea.
ORIGINAL DUST JACKET
The most desirable feature of this copy is the survival of its original pictorial dust jacket, with a dramatic pirate battle scene carried across the front, spine and rear panels.
The front panel is dominated by the bold orange title GREAT PIRATE STORIES over a scene of violent shipboard action, while the rear continues the maritime combat imagery.
The book itself states that the illustration used for the jacket is reproduced by permission of Frederic J. Waugh, the noted American marine painter, and the American Art News, New York.
The front flap is present and retains the original $2.00 price, together with Brentano’s promotional description of the book.
The rear flap is also present and advertises Joseph Lewis French’s companion volume Great Sea Stories, likewise priced at $2.00.
The jacket is now preserved in a clear removable protective cover.
BINDING
Original publisher’s dark green cloth, ruled in blind, with the title Great Pirate Stories boldly stamped in orange to the front board and spine.
The orange lettering remains strong and attractive, and the simple typography echoes the design of the dust jacket.
PROVENANCE
The front free endpaper bears a contemporary Christmas presentation inscription dated:
Dec. 25 / 22
and presented to:
Delos Cosgrove Jr.
A matching ownership label reading:
Delos Cosgrove
No. 133
is affixed to the front pastedown.
This is particularly pleasing provenance in a copy published the same year, documenting the book as a Christmas gift in 1922, shortly after publication.
There are also later pencil notes at the upper corner of the front free endpaper, including an earlier price notation and an identification of the book as a 1922 first edition.
CONTENT
The anthology opens with French’s foreword on the history and romance of piracy and includes selections dealing with famous pirates, sea battles, corsairs, buccaneers and maritime adventure.
The photographs show, among other material, the section titled:
“The Fight Between the Dorrill and the Moca”
The collection is a characteristic example of the early twentieth-century enthusiasm for pirate literature, combining historical source material with dramatic adventure narratives.
CONDITION
Very good book in a fair but scarce original dust jacket.
The original dark green cloth is quite well preserved, with bright orange lettering to the front board and spine. There is light rubbing and shelf wear, with minor wear at the spine ends and corners, but the binding remains sound and attractive.
Internally very good overall, with expected age toning and occasional light spotting or handling wear. There is a small edge tear/chip to one internal leaf, shown in the photographs. The contemporary 1922 presentation inscription and ownership label remain present at the front.
The original dust jacket is worn but substantially surviving, with chipping and losses along the upper edge and spine, additional smaller losses along folds and lower edges, creasing, rubbing and tears. The spine panel has notable loss toward the upper portion. Despite this wear, the principal front artwork survives well, much of the rear illustration is present, and both original flaps remain intact.
Importantly, the front flap retains the original $2.00 publisher’s price, while the rear flap advertises Great Sea Stories.
The jacket is now protected in a clear removable protector.
Please examine all photographs closely, as they form an important part of the condition description.
A notably appealing copy of this classic piracy anthology: the 1922 Brentano’s first edition, retaining its original Frederic J. Waugh pictorial dust jacket with both flaps and original $2.00 price, together with a same-year Christmas presentation inscription.
