H.G. Wells — The Invisible Man (1897) First Edition, First State — C. Arthur Pearson Ltd.

H.G. Wells — The Invisible Man

C. Arthur Pearson Ltd, London — 1897 First Edition, First State Original Pictorial Cloth

An exceptional example of one of the most significant works in the history of science fiction. The Invisible Man remains H.G. Wells’ most psychologically complex "Scientific Romance," exploring the isolation and eventual madness of a man who masters the impossible. This copy is the true first state, featuring the legendary typographical errors and red-and-black printing that distinguish the earliest copies to leave the press.

Edition & Features

• True First Edition, First State (1897)

• First Issue Point: Page 1 incorrectly numbered as "2"

• Title Page: Printed in the original red and black ink

• Advertisements: Includes the two required pages of Pearson’s ads at the rear (pp. 247-248)

• Original red pictorial cloth with black-stamped vignette of the "Invisible Man"

Condition

Book: Near Fine

• Remarkably bright red boards; the notoriously light-sensitive pigment remains vibrant

• Sharp gilt lettering on the spine with no significant rubbing to the black cover art

• Clean interior with only minor, expected age-toning to the Gresham Press paper

• Tight, square binding with firm hinges; a superior structural example

Protection:

• Housed in a cover by a previous collector to preserve the cloth and gilt

Collector Notes

The Pearson first edition of The Invisible Man is increasingly difficult to source in the original red cloth without significant "spine-fade" or browning. This copy, with its vivid color and the definitive "Page 2" misnumbering, represents a blue-chip acquisition for the serious science fiction or antiquarian collector.