STEVENSON, R.L. (author). The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. London; Longmans, Green & Co. 1886

8vo. Original light orange cloth lettered and decorated in black to upper board; pp. [viii] + 141 + [i];  a very nice copy with some rubbing to spine, including minute wear to head of spine and light dusting to boards; internally very fresh with armorial bookplate from Hinstock Hall to inner upper cover, a contemporary inscription dated 1886 to half title and a slightly later inscription to front free endpaper; very scarce in this early format.

Third U.K. edition, issued in the same year as the first edition, in the same format. The first printing of this book appeared simultaneously in both hard covers and in paper wrappers.

This classic Gothic novella has an interesting background and publishing history.  The first manuscript was produced at speed, apparently in only a few days, when Stevenson was recuperating from a bout of tuberculosis, in the autumn of 1885.  His wife was unimpressed on first reading, so it is said that the author burned the piece and rewrote it entirely, again rapidly, over the following few days.  

It was destined for publication at the end of 1885, and the cover of the cheap paperback version (the ‘shilling shocker’) did in fact carry that date. However the publisher became concerned about the slew of books being prepared for the Christmas market and a decision was made to hold publication of both paper and hardback versions until January 1886.  All copies of the paperback had to have the date be altered by hand.

The book became a sensation and an instant bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic.  It has never fallen out of print in its nearly 140 year history.