L. W. Currey, Inc.

Wells, H[erbert] G[eorge]. THE TIME MACHINE: AN INVENTION. London: William Heinemann, 1895. Small octavo, pp. [1-8] 1-151 [152] + [16]-page publisher's catalogue with first page headed "THE MANXMAN" inserted at rear, original decorated tan buckram, front and spine panels stamped in purple, publisher's monogram stamped in purple on rear panel, top and fore edges untrimmed, bottom edge rough trimmed. First British edition, first binding, earliest form of inserted publisher's catalogue. The Holt edition was published before the Heinemann edition and the text (presumably an earlier version of the story) differs significantly from the Heinemann edition (the better text) and from the NEW REVIEW serial. See Bergonzi, "The Publication of The Time Machine, 1894-1895," Clareson, ed., SF: The Other Side of Realism (1971), pp. 204-15. The author's first SF novel. "Many rank it as Wells's best book, certainly its qualities are striking and direct ... All time-travel stories since owe a debt to Wells, none has become so acclaimed." - Bleiler (ed), Science Fiction Writers, p. 26. "THE TIME MACHINE might be considered the first work of modern science-fiction, and it is still the classic statement of an important subgenre ... A remarkable work, and necessary reading." - Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Early Years 2325. Anatomy of Wonder (1976) 2-161; (1981) 1-171; (1987) 1-103; (1995) 1-103; and (2004) II-1232. Clareson, Science Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 800. Clarke, Tale of the Future (1978), p. 21. Lewis, Utopian Literature, p. 207. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 227. Negley, Utopian Literature: A Bibliography 1175. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, p. 107. Survey of Science Fiction Literature V, pp. 2287-92. Suvin, Victorian Science Fiction in the UK, pp. 62-3. Bleiler (1978), p. 205. Reginald 15085. Currey, p. 525 (binding B, catalogue 1). Hammond B1. Wells 4. Wolff 7107. Neat owner's name on the front free endpaper. Mild foxing to fore-edges of endpapers, mostly rear endpapers, else a fine copy. A lovely copy. (#174361).