THE DARK DIAMONDS (Second edition - first printing)

First printing of the second edition, with a revised translation by Mari Kuttna. First translated from the Hungarian by Frances Gerard in 1896, and originally published in Hungary as "Fekete gyémántok" in 1872. ***Near fine in light-brown cloth-covered boards with black titles to the spine. The boards are clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine uncreased. Corners sharp. Page block edges clean. Very slight reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Internally also near fine with a neat ownership inscription on the front free endpaper. Pages clean and bright with no foxing and no creases or tears. ***In a very good colour illustrated dustwrapper, which is not price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of 49, - Ft (Forint) at the top corner of the front flap (interestingly, also impressed on the back board of the book (see scans). The dustwrapper is complete without any loss, with just very slight rubbing and creasing to the edges. No chips or tears. No fading except for some very gentle fading to the yellow colour on the spine. Dustwrapper bright. ***190mm x 130mm. 390 pages. Printed on very thin paper by Franklin Printing House, Budapest. ***'Mór Jókai was the greatest novelist of the romantic tradition in Hungary; even now, more than seventy years after his death, he is one of the country's most widely read authors'. ***'In "The Dark Diamonds," Jókai introduced a railway speculation involving an ambitious cleric's political plots; the girl from the coal-mine whose beauty conquered the glittering demi-monde of Vienna and Paris but who retaigns her chastity until the happy ending, which also transforms the mining village into a Utopian community working on socialist principles'. (Quotes taken from the front flap and back panel of the dustwrapper) ***'Móricz Jókay of Ásva (18 February 1825 - 5 May 1904), known as Mór Jókai, was a Hungarian novelist, dramatist and revolutionary. Outside of Hungary, he was also known as Maurice Jókai or Maurus Jókai or Mauritius Jókai. He was a leader of the outbreak of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 in Pest. His romantic novels became widely popular among the elite of Victorian England, where he was often compared to Charles Dickens by the press. One of his most famous admirers was Queen Victoria herself.' (Wiki) ***A first printing of this second edition in English, originally translated from the Hungarian by Frances Gerard - revised by Mari Kuttnain - in its original dustwrapper, in very nice condition. Uncommon. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.…