The House of the Seven Gables
Nathaniel Hawthorne
đź“š Genre
Gothic Fiction / Dark Romanticism
🏢 Publisher
Unknown (Likely an late 19th-century trade edition by a publisher like Hurst & Co., Altemus, or Crowell)
đź“… Publication Year
Circa 1880-1900
🔢 ISBN
None (Pre-dates ISBN system)
About This Book
A classic Gothic novel exploring themes of guilt, retribution, and atonement in a New England family. The plot centers on the Pyncheon family and their ancestral mansion, which is cursed by a man wrongly accused of witchcraft. The cover in the image shows a brown cloth binding with gold-gilt lettering and decorative Victorian-style blind-stamped floral/scroll motifs on the spine.
Book Details
Language
English
Pages
Approximately 300-400 pages (depending on publisher)
Edition
Reprint / Trade Edition
Series
Not part of a series
Target Audience
Adult / General Audience / Students of Literature
Collector Information
Condition
Fair to Poor. Significant wear is visible at the crown and foot of the spine, with the cloth fraying and some loss of material at the top. The gilt is faded, and there is visible browning/soiling of the cloth consistent with age and poor storage.
Estimated Value
$10 - $25
Rarity
Common. While this specific ornate binding style is a product of its era, thousands of these non-premium trade reprints were produced for the mass market in the late 19th century. They are widely available in the used book market.
Historical Significance
A cornerstone of American Gothic literature, Hawthorne’s follow-up to The Scarlet Letter influenced the development of psychological fiction and the 'New England Gothic' subgenre.
Collector Notes
This is a 'utility' or 'shelf' copy rather than a high-investment collector's piece. Collectors typically seek the 1851 first edition published by Ticknor, Reed, and Fields. For this copy, the damaged spine crown significantly lowers the value. Keep in a dry, temperature-controlled environment to prevent further cloth degradation/brittleness. Check the title page for the publisher's name to determine the specific house that issued this reprint.
Similar Books
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Uncle Silas by Sheridan Le Fanu
Notable Features
Period-accurate Victorian decorative binding; gold gilt title on spine.