HAWTHORNE, NATHANIEL. The Scarlet Letter. Second Edition. 8vo, publisher's brown cloth stamped in gilt and blind, spine ends and tips rubbed and bumped with some surface loss, cocked, thin horizontal black ink line on rear cover; scattered foxing, heaviest to second half of text block; contemporary owner's inked signatures at front endpaper and blank; custom folding box with title and "A" stamped in gold and red on spine. First printing of the Second Edition with the Metcalf and Company imprint on copyright page and ads dated October 1, 1849. Blanck, 7601. Boston: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1850
