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PORTRAIT BY PATRICK REASON
149
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(NARRATIVES.) BIBB, WILLIAM.
Narrative of the Life and
Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, written by Himself.
Ten pages of
testimonials preceding Chapter I. Copper engraved frontispiece portrait by Patrick Reason;
eleven full-page engravings, and seven half-page head and tail-pieces. Small 8vo, original gilt
and blind-stamped black cloth, with a very elaborate gilt floral design on the spine; bottom
of rear hinge expertly repaired; foxing through most of the text, still a very nice copy.
New York: Published by the Author, 1850
[2,000/3,000]
THIRD STEREOTYPE EDITION OF ONE OF THE BEST AND RAREST OF VERIFIABLE NARRA
-
TIVES
,
with the added distinction of bearing a fine frontispiece portrait, engraved by the first African
American illustrator, Patrick H. Reason. Henry Walton Bibb (1815-1854), author, publisher, lecturer
and activist was born into slavery, purportedly the son of Kentucky Senator James Bibb. He begins his
narrative “I was brought up in the Counties of Shelby, Henry, Oldham, and Trimble. Or, more cor-
rectly, I was flogged up.” There follows a well-written account of tyrannical masters and mistresses,
multiple escapes and beatings. But the more Bibb was punished, the more he was inspired to run. Bibb
married twice, the first time while still a slave. He escaped but had to leave his wife and daughter
behind. Once free in Cincinnati Ohio, he had a plan to reunite with his wife and daughter, but was
betrayed by two men posing as abolitionists who sold him back into slavery. Bibb escaped again, and
finally made it to Canada, where he published The Voice of the Fugitive, the first black newspaper
there. LCP 1153; not in Blockson Collection.
A RARE BOOK IN ANY EDITION
.
EXCEEDINGLY RARE
150
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(SLAVE NARRATIVES.) BROWN, HENRY “BOX.”
Narrative of Henry
Box Brown, who Escaped from Slavery, Enclosed in a Box Three Feet Long,
Two Feet Wide and Two and a Half High.
Engraving of the “box” on the rear cover.
91 pages. 12mo, original printed wrappers; rear cover detached; old institutional stamp on
front cover.
Boston: Brown & Stearns, 1849
[1,500/2,500]
A RARE NARRATIVE OF AN EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE
.
Henry Brown had himself literally packed
up in a box and shipped from Virginia to Philadelphia, where he escaped via the Underground Railroad
system to Boston. The account was taken down from dictation by Charles Stearn, one of the publishers.
150