STOWE, Harriet Beecher (1811-1896). Uncle Tom's Cabin or, Life Among the Lowly. Boston: John P. Jewett & Co., 1852. 8vos. Each volume illustrated with three woodcut illustrations. Two volumes. [3, blank], x, [13]-312; iv, [5]-322 pp. Publisher's deluxe "gift" binding with boards elaborately stamped with gilt emblems and cornerpieces, spines decoratively stamped and lettered in gilt, original off-white endleaves. THE SCARCE FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE (with all textual errors) IN THE RARE PUBLISHER'S GIFT BINDING. 

The most famous anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin incensed Northern readers and is considered to be one of the causes of the Civil War (when Abraham Lincoln met Stowe, he said, "So this is the little lady who is responsible for this big war.") This is the only novel listed in Printing and the Mind of Man (the other books are non-fiction). Uncle Tom's Cabin was so popular, it inspired a cottage industry of stage productions with more and more elaborate stage pieces, including the famous scene with Eliza fleeing across the ice. 

Both volumes rebacked, preserving most of the original spines (imprints near tail-caps obscured), boards worn, scuffed, corners restored, endleaves toned and soiled, text toned, foxed, with occasional soiling, ownership signature (different people) on each ffep. Good.