The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson

About 7 1/4 x 9 1/4 inches, 328 pages in red cloth-covered boards. Early printing, First Scribner's Sons edition, with illustrations by N.C. Stevenson's sixth full-length work is an adventure and romantic novel set during the War of the Roses, featuring a young man, Richard Shelton,how he becomes a knight, saves his lady, Joanna Sedley, and obtains justice for the murder of his father. This struggle sweeps him up into the greater conflict surrounding them all. Dick's suspicions are enough to turn Sir Daniel against him, so he has no recourse but to escape from Sir Daniel and join the outlaws of the Black Arrow against him. Outlaws in Tunstall Forest organised by Ellis Duckworth, whose weapon and calling card is a black arrow, cause Dick to suspect that his guardian Sir Daniel Brackley and his retainers are responsible for his father's murder. The Black Arrow tells the story of Richard (Dick) Shelton during the Wars of the Roses: how he becomes a knight, rescues his lady Joanna Sedley, and obtains justice for the murder of his father, Sir Harry Shelton. Ex Libris Arthur William Moore, who was a Manx antiquarian, historian, linguist, folklorist, and former Speaker of the House of Keys in the Isle of Man, with his engraved bookplate to upper pastedown. A VG+ copy of this uncommon historical adventure novel. half gilt lightly rubbed and marked on extremities. 8vo, xiii, 322pp, 12 b/w illus., contemp. Eight page list of Scribner's publications at rear. Later that year the book was published in Great Britain by Cassells, with different illustrations, by H M Paget. A William Low illustration was used as a frontis, whilst one of Scribner's illustrators, Alfred Brennan, produced a set of line drawings to further illustrate the book. In early 1888 Stevenson was persuaded by Scribner's to publish it in book form. The story was written by Stevenson whilst he was living in America and first appeared as a serial in 1883, in a Philadelphia newspaper, illustrated by William H Low. Half title page states 'The Black Arrow (Author's Edition)'. Illustrated with a black and white frontis plate by William H Low, and eleven black and white line drawings by Alfred Brennan. The book is firm and complete with the occasional light smudge on pages. Previous owner's ink stamp on front free page. Small 2-3 cm square loss at top outer edge of front end paper. Red cloth on boards with gilt lettering to spine.

Alfred Brennan and William H Low (illustrator).

The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson