1845 1st US Edition - Mary Schweidler, The AMBER WITCH. The Most Interesting Trial For Witchcraft Ever Known.

---

This wonderful book has been sold!
Search for other similar books from our bookseller friends!

---

Author: Schweidler, Mary. (Johannes Wilhelm Meinhold). (Lady Lucy Duff Gordon, translator).
Title: THE AMBER WITCH. The Most Interesting Trial for Witchcraft Ever Known, Printed from an Imperfect Manuscript By Her Father Abraham Schweidler, the Pastor of Coserow, in the Island of Usedom.
Publisher: New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1845. First American edition published in the Wiley & Putnam's Library of Choice Reading following the 1844 UK edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size : 7.5 " X 5 ".
Pages: xi-180 pages.
Binding: Very good dark green quarter leather binding with marbled paper covered boards with gilt spine announcing the Wiley & Putnam's Library of Choice Reading (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed and worn - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, light foxing or staining - as shown, nice armorial bookplate of G. F. Lindsay with the motto "recta vel ardua" on the first endpaper - as shown). 

The book: Rare first American edition of The Amber Witch -- a German novel published by Wilhelm Meinhold (1797–1851) in 1838. Its German title is Maria Schweidler, die Bernsteinhexe. The novel was originally published as a literary hoax which purported to be an actual 17th-century chronicle. Meinhold later admitted to the hoax but had some difficulty in proving that he was its author. In 1844, it was published in Britain as The Amber Witch in two English translations: one by E. A. Friedlander and another, more enduring, translation by Lucie, Lady Duff-Gordon. The novel was a favorite of Oscar Wilde's when he was a boy.  Meinhold claimed to have discovered a manuscript written by a 17th-century minister, Abraham Schweidler (purportedly a pastor of Coserow and known for his fire and brimstone sermons) amongst rubbish in the choir of the old Coserow church. The manuscript contained the story of the pastor's daughter Maria, the "Amber Witch".

The author: Johannes Wilhelm Meinhold (27 February 1797– 30 November 1851) was a Pomeranian priest and author.