Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451; illustrated by Joe Mugnaini. New York: Ballantine Books, Inc., (1953). FIRST EDITION, LIMITED EDITION.
8vo - 8" x 5-3/8". 199 pp. Original white Johns-Manville Quinterra over boards with titles printed in red to the front cover and spine. This copy is officially numbered and signed by the author on the limitation page: "This edition of Fahrenheit 451 has been limited to 200 copies. It is specially bound in Johns-Manville Quinterra an asbestos material with exceptional resistance to pyrolysis. Each copy numbered and signed by the author. No. 159. Ray Bradbury [signature]."
The condition of the volume is FINE. The original white asbestos-derived boards remain stable, free of the dark discoloration or localized spotting characteristic of surviving examples of this edition. Technical defects are restricted to a single minute dark mark on the front cover and minor surface rubbing to select red letters of the title text on the spine. Internally, the leaves are bright, both hinges remain structurally sound, and the text block is tightly bound.
Material Pyrolysis Resistance and Bibliographic Variants
Published simultaneously alongside the standard trade hardback and paper issues by Ballantine Books, this variant represents the most technologically unique and bibliographically significant iteration of Ray Bradbury's landmark dystopian work. The choice of Johns-Manville Quinterra—an experimental electrical insulation material composed entirely of purified asbestos fibers—serves as a physical, conceptual manifestation of the novel's core theme of book burning and state-mandated destruction of literature.
This specific printing contains the complete text of Fahrenheit 451, supplemented by two short stories appended at the rear: "The Playground" and "And the Rock Cried Out." These two additional works were systematically omitted from subsequent standard trade editions and reprints, establishing this initial 1953 state as a distinct textual milestone within the author's bibliography. The novel's stark aesthetic is complemented by the expressionistic interior illustrations of Joe Mugnaini, Bradbury’s long-term visual collaborator.
Material Vulnerability and Scarcity Census
Due to the chemically unstable, absorbent, and friable nature of the untreated Quinterra material, the vast majority of the 200 copies produced suffered rapid aesthetic degradation. Most extant examples display severe yellowing, atmospheric soot absorption, or significant fraying along the vulnerable board corners and spine tips. Finding a copy that preserves its original white tone and clean surfaces constitutes a notable archival survival.
The title is highly institutionalized, with the majority of the original 200 copies permanently absorbed into academic and national special collections worldwide, leaving few examples accessible to private acquisition.
AN UNCOMMONLY PRESERVED, ICONIC MANUFACTURED VARIANT OF TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICAN FICTION, REPRESENTING A CRITICAL UNION OF APPLIED MATERIAL DESIGN AND SCIENCE FICTION BIBLIOGRAPHY.
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