TWAIN, Mark (1835-1910). The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrims' Progress? San Francisco: H. H. Bancroft and Company and Hartford: American Publishing Company, 1869. 8vo. Illustrated with 234 illustrations. 651, [1, ads] pp. Bound with only 1 page of ads, out of 4 called-for. Bound to style in modern full brown levant morocco, boards ruled in blind, spine ruled in blind, two black gilt morocco lettering labels, five raised bands, marbled endleaves (text and edge of text block occasionally soiled). Very good. FIRST EDITION, BAL'S FIRST ISSUE. ?This famous Mark?Twain?novel, "The?Innocents?Abroad", was an important novel in the history of subscription only books. This book was huge -- comparatively speaking -- to the size of other books. When first printed, it resembled the size of a desk dictionary and gave the buyer a sense of more for your money because of its girth. It is considered?Twain's first real success and is described as a travel (or anti-travel, perhaps) book and is one of the best-selling travel books of all time?" (Melton). BAL 3316.