• 1882 Mark Twain decorative cloth edition of The Stolen White Elephant Etc. Published by James R. Osgood with elephant pictorial binding.
  • THE STOLEN WHITE ELEPHANT Etc. by Mark Twain First Edition ©1872 COPYRIGHT PAGE
  • THE STOLEN WHITE ELEPHANT Etc. by Mark Twain First Edition ©1872 TITLE PAGE
  • THE STOLEN WHITE ELEPHANT Etc. by Mark Twain First Edition ©1872 TORN SPINE
  • THE STOLEN WHITE ELEPHANT Etc. by Mark Twain First Edition ©1872 BACK
1 6

James R. Osgood and Company

The Stolen White Elephant, Etc. by Mark Twain | 1882 James R. Osgood Edition | Victorian Decorative Cloth Hardcover

The Stolen White Elephant, Etc. by Mark Twain | 1882 James R. Osgood Edition | Victorian Decorative Cloth Hardcover

$72.00 USD
$72.00 USD
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Low stock: 1 left

AT A GLANCE

Title:
The Stolen White Elephant Etc.
Publisher:
James R. Osgood and Company
Author:
Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens)
Era:
Victorian Era (1837 - 1901)
Date:
1882 (Early Edition | Probable First State)
Origin:
Boston, Massachusetts USA
Condition:
Good-fair (G-F)
Cover:
Hardcover
Pages:
306
OCLC:
3344064
Book genre:
Satirical Fiction & Short Stories
Notes:
Decorative elephant cloth binding | University Press: John Wilson & Son, Cambridge

Humorous Victorian-era Mark Twain satire featuring one of the author’s most absurd and entertaining mystery tales.

Collector’s Note

Victorian-era Mark Twain editions are prized not only for their literary importance but also for their highly decorative publisher’s bindings, which reflected the golden age of American book design. Even in worn condition, surviving nineteenth-century Twain cloth bindings — especially pictorial examples like The Stolen White Elephant — remain highly displayable and collectible artifacts from the period.

Antique 1882 edition of The Stolen White Elephant, Etc. by Samuel L. Clemens under his famous pen name, Mark Twain. Published by the James R. Osgood Company of Boston, this collection gathers several short stories and satirical sketches showcasing Twain’s trademark blend of wit, absurdity, and social commentary during the height of the Victorian era.

The title story follows the chaotic disappearance of a sacred white elephant presented as a diplomatic gift from the King of Siam to the Queen of England. When the elephant mysteriously vanishes in New Jersey, an increasingly incompetent and overconfident detective force launches a wildly escalating investigation that spirals into comic disaster. The story is often regarded as an early parody of detective fiction and police procedurals long before the genre became firmly established.

The book retains its original decorative cloth binding featuring an elaborate elephant motif stamped to the front board and spine — one of the more recognizable Victorian-era Twain bindings. Additional stories include satirical essays, speeches, travel observations, and humorous sketches characteristic of Twain’s later nineteenth-century writing.

Condition is good to fair antique condition for a 140+ year-old Victorian hardcover. Significant loss to the spine covering is present with exposed binding material and fraying along the spine edges. Boards show rubbing, surface wear, corner wear, age discoloration, and scattered staining. Interior pages remain largely intact and readable with age toning throughout. Remnants of old adhesive remain on the rear pastedown, and a previous owner’s name appears on the flyleaf. Despite the binding wear, the book retains strong shelf presence because of the surviving decorative elephant cover design.

Author Biography

Mark Twain, the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835–1910), remains one of the most influential figures in American literature. Best known for classics such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Twain blended humor, satire, regional storytelling, and sharp social criticism into works that helped define American literary identity. His lectures, essays, travel writing, and short fiction made him an international celebrity during his lifetime, and his Victorian-era decorative bindings remain among the most collected American books today.

Browse the Classic Literature collection for more classics, children's books, modern fiction and links to other popular printed works.

Just a quick heads‑up: the photos reveal details far better than text alone, so they’re worth a close review.

We share as much accurate information as possible about each item—from provenance to condition—but the images often show the nuances best. If you ever need more details, we’re always happy to help.

View full details

Browse Selection of Printed Works Collections

  • Vintage Cookbooks

    Collectible cookbooks cherished as historical kitchen archives that preserve regional foodways, community identity, and the everyday cooking practices of earlier generations.

    Browse Vintage Cookbooks 

  • Community & Junior League Cookbooks

    Fundraising cookbooks preserving local recipes, traditions, and the social history of community groups offering insight into domestic culture and regional identity.

    Browse Fundraising Cookbooks 

  • Classic Literature & First Editions

    Imagined stories, timeless works of lasting artistic value, children's literature, and books prized for their rarity, literary distinction and historical significance and across generations.

    Browse Classic Literature & Fiction 

  • Biographies & Reference Books

    Writings grounded in real people, events, knowledge, or places — including biographies, memoirs, reference materials, archival documents, guidebooks, and instruction manuals.

    Browse Biographies & Reference 

  • Magazines & Journals

    Back issues of magazines and periodicals from news and popular culture to cooking, sports, music, and lifestyle topics — offering a snapshot of the ideas, trends, and concerns of their time.

    Browse Magazines & Journals