Books for Sale By or About Henry David Thoreau
Arranged alphabetically by author.


Henry David Thoreau
(1817 - 1862)

Author, naturalist, surveyor, historian, poet, abolitionist and philosopher.

Best known for his classic work: Walden

"Would it not be well for us to consider if our deed will warrant the expense of nature?"

Henry David Thoreau

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    Allen, Francis H.:  A Bibliography of Henry David Thoreau.  New York: Johnson Reprint Company, (1908) 1967. Reprint of 1967. Near fine in dark blue cloth covered boards with gilt text on the spine and front board. An octavo measuring 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" with very slight fading to the cloth at the head of the spine and front board. Without a dust jacket as issued. 201 pages including and index. A facsimile reprint of the original edition published in 1908.
    TB26221  $25.00



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    Borst, Raymond R.:  Henry David Thoreau A Descriptive Bibliography.  Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1982. First Edition. Fine in dark blue cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine and on the front board. Without a dust jacket as issued. 232 pages including an index, appendix, text and illustratedfrom photographs of many of Therou's first edition titles.
    TB32383  $40.00



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    Canby, Henry Seidel:  Thoreau.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1939. Early reprint. Very good in red buckram cloth covered boards with gilt on black title blocks on the spine and on the front board. The cloth at the head and heel of the spine are rubbed, the spine is faded and the end papers are foxed at the hinge areas due to a reaction with the glue used in binding the book. Without its issued dust jacket. A biography of of Henry David Thoreau illustrated with reproductions of drawings, etchings and photographs. 508 pages including an index, text and illustrations.
    TB26181  $25.00



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    Gross, Robert A.:  The Transcendentalists and Their World.  New York: Farrar. Strais Amd Giroux, (2021). First Edition, First Printing. Fine in medium green paper covered boards with a gilt decoration and gilt text on the spine. An octavo of 9 by 5 7/8 inches. In a fine, price clipped dust jacket. 836 pages including an extensive index, chapter notes and text. Illustrated with a section of images from earlier works of art and black and white photographs. A literary history of Concord, Massachusetts with a focus on the authors living there to include Thoreau, Hawthornd, Emerson, and the Alcotts.
    TB33122  $45.00




  • Howarth, William L.:  The Literary Manuscripts of Henry David Thoreau.  Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1974. First Edition, First printing. Fine in cream and light brown cloth covered boards with a gilt on black title block on the spine. In a fine dust jacket with the original price intact on the front flap. One of the volumes in the Calendars of American Literary Manuscripts "which provide the scholar and critic with readily accessible lists of the available and pre- and post-publication manuscript inscriptions of selected American authors." 408 pages of text, index and appendices which together provide a bibliographic evaluation of Thoreau's manuscripts.
    TB16882  $24.50




  • Lee, Harry:  More Day To Dawn The Story of Thoreau of Concord.  New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1941. First Edition, First printing. Very good+ in silver colored cloth covered boards with white text on the spine with the end papers very slightly foxed and with a prior owner's name and gift inscription on the front end paper. In a very good- dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap but with 1/4" chipping across the upper edge of the spine area, 1/8" chips across the lower edge of the spine area which is also tanned and with small chips at the fore corners of the panels with a long closed tear at the fold to the front flap. A biography of Henry David Thoreau. 167 pages of text.
    TB16754  $17.50



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    McCurdy, Michael:  Thoreau at the Cabin.  Great Barrington, Mass.: Self Published, 1989. Limited Edition Etching. A fine broadside etching on wove paper measuring 16 by 12 inches with Book Week New England 1990 printed in red across the top side of the image. The image of Henry David Thoreau standing at the open doorway of his cabin gazing in contemplation at Walden Pond measures roughly 8 by 6 inches. There is a minor, 1/4 inch printer's smudge at the upper left hand corner of the sheet very close to the edge of the paper. One of only 100 numbered and signed copies with this one identified as number 37 and signed by the artist in pencil. Hand-printed in December, 1989 for the New England Booksellers' Association for Book Week New England 1990. The etching originally appeared in the Yolla Bolly edition of The Winged Life.
    TB29445  $125.00



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    Sanborn, F. B.:  The Personality Of Thoreau.  Boston: Charles Goodspeed, 1901. First Edition, Limited Edition. Fine in 1/4 tan cloth and green paper covered boards with a printed paper label on the spine. A small quarto of 9 5/8 by 5 7/8 inches. In a near fine, unprinted, dark green paper covered dust jacket with minor losses at the ends of the spine area. One of 500 unmbered copies printed on French hand-made paper with this copy identified as copy number 181 on the colophon. 71 pages of text. Most of the pages are un-opened. A New York Times article dated January 11, 1902 is laid-in which provides a description of this publication and a bit about the author, Mr. Sanborn. "Franklin Benjamin Sanborn (December 15, 1831 – February 24, 1917) was an American journalist, teacher, author, reformer, and abolitionist." (Wikipedia) According to the NYT article noted above, Sanborn owned a boarding house in Concord in which Henry David Thoreau was a boarder. This allowed Sanborn to see and talk to Thoreau for the last seven years and a month of Thoreau's life.
    TB33401  $300.00



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    Thoreau, Henry David:  A Week On The Concord And Merrimack Rivers.  Boston and Cambridge: James Munroe And Company, 1849. First Edition, First and only Printing. Very good- in its original, light brown, wavy cloth covered boards blind stamped with a five-rule border on both boards. This copy has been professionally rebacked preserving the majority of the original spine strip and retaining the original end sheets. A small octavo of 7 13/16 by 4 3/4 inches with the cloth worn through at the fore edges of the boards and in sections along the upper and lower edges of the boards. The front hinge is starting and there are occasional marginal pencil marks in the text. Heavy erasures of the front and rear most end sheets have also caused two small holes in those pages. There is a minor tanning to the interior of the facing pages 112 and 113 perhaps from two small leaves having been pressed within the book. Lastly, the page announcing the imminent publication of Walden is missing a 1 1/2 inch chip from its upper fore corner. That chip has no impact on the printed text on that page. 413 pages of text followed by a one page announcement stating Walden "will soon be published". It is important to note that due to a printer's error the last three lines of page 396 are missing. Those lines have been written out in pencil perhaps by the author or the author's sister as indicated in both BAL and Borst. The printer's errors on page 120 and 139 have not been either noted or corrected. This was Thoreau's first book, which he had to pay for to get published. Unfortunately, it did not sell well. From bibliographic sources, we infer that this copy is most likely one of the 256 bound, unsold copies returned to Thoreau in October 1853 by the publisher. In 1862 Ticknor and Fields purchased 145 bound copies and the 450 unbound sheets from Thoreau. During the intervening years Thoreau either gave away or sold 111 of the bound copies. In that time Thoreau discovered the missing lines on page 396. In some of those bound copies either Thoreau or his sister, Sophia Thoreau, and an unknown third individual added the missing lines on the lower portion of that page in pencil. Expert opinion indicates that this handwriting is not that of either Thoreau or his sister. (BAL 20104; Borst A1.1.a1; Howes T-220)
    TB29389  $7500.00



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    Thoreau, Henry D.:  Walden; Or, Life In The Woods (Fifth Printing).  Boston: Ticknor And Fields, 1865. Fifth Printing. Very good+ in its original, light brown, blind stamped cloth covered boards with gilt text on the spine. A 12mo of 7 1/16 by 4 3/8 inches with a number of tears and wear to the cloth at the head and heel of the spine. The cloth over the tips of the boards has been worn through. The front and rear joints have been professionally reinforced. The front hinge has started, but remains strong. There is an early prior owner's name in pencil on the first free end page. There is a water mark at the top edge of the text block near the spine, but there is no sign of dampness on any margins below that stain. The last 37 pages of the book show a small water stain in the margin of the upper fore corner of those pages. A small closed tear to the fore edge of page 241 has been repaired with archival tape. Gray end sheets with 357 numbered pages of text followed by 21 numbered pages of publisher's ads dated September, 1865 and those are followed by 3 un-numbered pages. The book is contained within a fine, cloth covered slip case of a color in harmony with the cloth covers of the book. Illustrated with an engraving on the title page and Thoreau's map of Walden Pond facing page 307. This reprint of a classic of American literature only saw 500 copies printed. (BAL, 20106; Borst, A2.1.e)
    TB32143  $2000.00



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    Thoreau, Henry David:  The Maine Woods.  Boston: Tickner And Fields, 1864. Second Edition. Very good in brown, blind stamped cloth covered boards with decorative blind stamping on the boards with the spine decorated with a gilt wreath and gilt text which is worn and fading. A 12mo measuring 7 1/8 by 4 1/2 inches with coated brown end sheets with the cloth over the joints worn in several areas and at the head and heel of the spine. The cloth over the tips of the boards is worn through. The last half of the text block shows a very faint dampness stain to the upper fore corner in the margins. The hinges, joints and the contents are sound and tight. 328 pages including an appendix. This edition was not bound with the publisher's catalog. The page facing the title page shows a list of Thoreau's books published by Ticknor And Fields with the sizes of each book listed. One of only 500 copies of the second edition printed. (BAL, 20113; Borst, A4.1.b)
    TB33150  $800.00



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    Thoreau, Henry D.:  Excursions.  Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1863. First Edition. Very good+ in the publisher's original dark green sawtooth cloth covered boards with copper colored text and decorations and text on the spine, blind embossed borders with a blind stamped wreath on both boards and brown coated end papers. A 12mo of 7 by 4 1/2 inches with the cloth at the head and heel of the spine worn in small spots. An early prior owner's name is in ink on the verso of the first free end page which is duplicated, in pencil, but upside down, on the last fixed end sheet. As is typically seen the frontispiece portrait of Thoreau shows light spots of foxing which have bled through the facing tissue guard to the title page. The contents are otherwise predominantly free of foxing and tanning. 319 pages of text the first 29 pages of which is a biographical sketch of Thoreau written by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson. The first edition of this title consisted of only 1,500 bound copies of 1,558 printed. It was the first of his books to carry an image (an engraved frontispiece) of the author. (BAL 20111; Borst A3.1.a)
    TB29397  $725.00



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    Thoreau, Henry D.:  Men of Concord.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1936. First Illustrated Edition. Fine in bright green cloth covered boards with a silver on black title block on the spine with illustrated end sheets. A small quarto measuring 9 3/8 by 6 1/4 inches with the cloth at the heel of the spine very slightly rubbed. In a very good+ unclipped dust jacket (no price) with 1/16 inch deep chipping across the upper edge of the spine area which is tanned and slight tanning around the outside edges of the panels with small nicks at the corners of the panels over the tips of the boards. This is a review copy with the publisher's review card laid-in at the front of the book. Illustrated with ten full color plates by N. C. Wyeth. Edited and with an introduction by F. H. Allen. A very handsome copy of a very uncommon title with no prior owner's marks, names or bookplates. 255 pages including an index. (BAL 20252)
    TB30937  $325.00



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    Thoreau, Henry D.:  Winter: From The Journal of Henry D. Thoreau.  Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888 (c1887). First Edition, First printing. Very near fine in its original green cloth covered beveled boards with gilt text stamping on the spine and a gilt embossed facsimile of the author's signature on the front board and black coated end papers. The cloth at the head and heel of the spine iss lightly rubbed as is the cloth at the upper and lower tips of the boards. Page 207/208 has a hole at the spine edge of the text about 1/2 way down the page of approximately 3/8" in diameter. On the front paste down is a very handsome, one inch square, black leather book plate of Burton Currie. The hinges and joints are tight and strong and the contents are free of any tanning or foxing. Edited by H. G. O. Blake. 439 pages including an index followed by a 14 page advertisement from Houghton Mifflin. This was the third of Thoreau's "four seasons" which followed Early Spring and Summer. Published records indicate that only 1,550 copies of the first printing of this title were produced making this a very uncommon title in highly collectable condition. (BAL, 20129; Borst, A.10.1a)
    TB29387  $320.00



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    Thoreau, Henry David:  Cape Cod.  Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1896. First Edition. Both volumes in this two volume set are in near fine condition in decorated olive cloth covered boards with gilt decorations and text stamping on the spines and on the front boards and with the top edges of the text blocks in gilt. The upper ends of purple placement ribbons are sewn-in at the heads of the spines. The hinges and joints for both volumes are tight and strong, the pages are neat and clean and there are no names, dates, or gift inscriptions. The cloth on the spines is very slightly faded to a warm light tan color as are the outside edges of the boards. This is the illustrated edition of Thoreau's classic work with wonderful, small color drawings by Amelia M.Watson in the margins scattered throughout the text of both volumes. The covers of these two volumes represent a fine example of the decorative book cover work performed by Sarah Wyman Whitman (1842-1904). Overall, a very handsome and collectable set of one of Thoreau's most enjoyable works. (BAL 20192; Borst, A5.3)
    TB33117  $275.00



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    Thoreau, Henry David:  Early Spring In Massachusetts From The Journal of Henry D. Thoreau.  Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, c1881. Early Reprint. Very good in its original green cloth covered beveled boards with gilt text stamping on the spine, a gilt stamped facsimile of the author's signature on the front board and black end papers with the top edge of the text block gilt. A small octavo measuring 7 1/2" by 5" with two short closed tears to the cloth at the heel of the spine, light rubbing and wear to the cloth at the head of the spine and with an early prior owner's name and date on the second free end page. The contents are exceptionally clean and bright with no signs of tanning or foxing. There are several, minor marginal notes in pencil on pages 42, 194 and 310. This was the first of the four "seasons" to be published. Only 1,024 copies of the first edition were printed. A collectible, clean and tight copy with no weakness to the hinges or joints. Extremely scarce in first edition. 318 pages of text. (BAL 20123; Borst, A8.1.a)
    TB29385  $165.00



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    Thoreau, Henry David:  Sic Vita! Henry David Thoreau 1862-1962.  N.P. (: The Siverado Press, 1962. First Limited Edition. Fine in illustrated light gray paper wraps with a sewn binding and deckeled edges. A small octavo measuring 8" high by 5 1/8" deep containing six leaves. A limited edition copy, one of only 380 copies of which this is numbered 249. Privately printed for The Thoreau Society Commemorating the Henry David Thoreau Centenary May 6, 1962 form a manuscript owned by Mr. Charles E. Feinberg. (BAL 20166; Borst A35.1)
    TB18365  $125.00



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    Thoreau, Henry David:  Walden or Life In The Woods.  Franklin Center, Penn.: The Franklin Press, 1976. A Limited Edition. Fine in full dark green leather covered boards with three raised bands on the spine with gilt text and decorations stamped in the compartments and with gilt tool work on both the front and rear boards. The end papers are silk with a matching silk placement ribbon sewn-in at the head of the spine. All three edges of the text block are in gilt. An octavo measuring 8 1/2 by 5 3/4 inches with a blind embossed prior owner's seal on the fly title page. 408 pages of text. Illustrated with drawings by Ronald Keller. One of the volumes in The Franklin Press' collection of The 100 Greatest Books of All Time. A very fine, tight, clean and crisp copy with no names, dates, notations or former owner's book plates.
    TB31780  $75.00



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    Thoreau, Henry David:  The Annotated Walden. Walden; or, Life in the Woods. Together with "Civil Disobedience," a detailed chronology and various pieces about its author, the writing and publishing of the Book.  New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., (1970). First Edition, First Printing. Fine in tan cloth covered boards with dark green text on the spine and map end sheets. A quarto measuring 11" by 8 1/2". In a very good, price clipped dust jacket with several closed tears and rubbing to the upper and lower edges of the spine area with clear tape on the recto of the jacket and a shallow (1/4 inch) at the upper edge of the front panel. Edited, with an introduction, notes and bibliography by Philip Van Doren Stern. 502 pages including an index, bibliography and text. Illustrated with reproductions of contemporary works of art, maps, portraits, manuscript pages, photographs and engravings. This title also includes details regarding Thoreau and publication of his book: Walden. The text is set up in two-column pages with the original text of Walden in the first column and with the editor's annotations in the second column.
    TB31330  $40.00



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    Thoreau Society:  Thoreau Society Bulletin Numbers 1-100 October 1941-Summer 1967 With Index.  New York: Johnson Reprint Corporation, (1970). First Reprinting. Near fine in light green cloth covered boards with a gilt on green title block on the spine. A quarto measuring 12" by 9" with faint traces of rubbing to the decorations on the spine. Without a dust jacket. Unpaginated.
    TB27721  $125.00






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