The Last Days of Pompeii by Edward Bulwer-Lytton was first published in 1834. It was the most widely-read Pompeii novel of the time, and saw numerous reprints and editions in subsequent years. As such, any enthusiast of Pompeii literature will wade through dozens of online auctions, whether they’re searching for this book or not! I do not presume to list every edition here as there are so many, but I would like to share some of my findings and perhaps aid others in identifying editions they have or might want. Most information has been sourced from comparing auction websites and Reddit posts, so please do your own research before committing to a purchase.
Despite its enduring popularity, as demonstrated by its many, many reprints, The Last Days of Pompeii has been out of print for decades. It is now an obscure work, not widely known or read by modern readers. You cannot buy this book “new” (not including ebooks and self-published editions), though I would love to one day see it as a Penguin Classics title. This list does not include collections of Bulwer-Lytton’s works of which Pompeii is a part.
First Edition (1834)
The Last Days of Pompeii was first published in 1834 by Richard Bentley, London, and was released as three separate volumes. There seems to be a lot of variation in the outward appearance of first editions, with very different covers (and some on sale may also have been rebound) but the first page does not vary. Three-volume first editions are not uncommon, but they are expensive: prices usually exceed £200, though copies generally appear to be in good condition.
Published by A. and W. Galignani, Paris 1834
Excelsior Edition (1850)
Published by Rand, McNally & Company, Chicago and New York. Very distinctive edition with a crest on the front cover and a sword on the spine. Includes prefaces to the 1834 and 1850 editions.
Alta Edition (?1881-88)
Published by Porter & Coates, Philadelphia, USA. There seem to be a few colour variations; most are tan but I have seen green and light blue covers online. The Alta editions are a series of reprints that ran from 1881-1888, ultimately consisting of 162 titles.
Lovell Edition (?1882/3)
Distinctive green cover with slanting title and an owl with foliage. The spine reads “Lovell” – possibly John W. Lovell, New York, established in 1882. Includes prefaces to the 1834 and 1850 editions.
A Reddit user posted a photo of their copy, which included a handwritten dedication dated 1883. Commenters warned that the green cover was likely to contain arsenic! I am no expert, but arsenic-containing covers seem to be brighter in colour, and the practice was more common between 1840-1860. The Poison Books Project provides resources to help identify such books.
Parchment Edition (?1891)
This notable edition was published as two volumes (with red dust jackets) by Estes & Lauriat in Boston. Only 250 copies were printed, and each is numbered on an inside page. Photographs of Pompeii are included. No year is stated, but an added publisher’s note is dated 1891.
Lupton Edition (1890s)
White cover with red wreath decoration. Brown spine credits the author as Lytton. Published by F.M. Lupton, part of the Windsor series which underwent several changes in cover design. One owner’s copy has a handwritten dedication dated 1899.
Collins New Classics (1953): Often found with illustrated dustjackets.Knebworth Edition: Part of the collected works of Lytton.
Gillett Edition (?1920s)
A humble paperback book. On the back is an advert for Colgate’s soaps and perfumes, and there are adverts at the beginning and end of the book. Published in Chicago by E.W. Gillett, a manufacturer of baking goods. This appears to be part of a series of reprints, but I could only find evidence of the publisher producing cookbooks; E.W. Gillett is mainly known for his Gillett’s Magic Cookbook. The year is a vague estimate based on the founding of E.W. Gillett. An interesting find!
T. Nelson & Sons Editions (?1930s)
There are multiple Nelson editions, as the book was reprinted several times, and appearance varies with each. These editions did not typically include a year on the title page so they are harder to date. Author is credited as Lord Lytton.
Nelson Edition A (~1915)
Small, red hardback with embossed title. Published by T. Nelson and Sons. Black stamping on the title page. No year is included in the text, but a dedication in my copy is dated 1915.
Nelson Edition B (?1910s)
Small, blue hardback with embossed title. Published by T. Nelson and Sons. Red stamping on the title page. I bought my copy for £4 from an Oxfam charity shop, and it was in trying to date it that I fell down the wormhole of so many other editions!
Nelson Edition C
When searching for Nelson editions, this one seems to appear most often. It is distinctive in the gold lettering and circular symbol on the spine. The cover is dark blue, and there is no text on the cover itself. This may be the latest of the Nelson editions, but I have not seen inside a copy so I am doubtful an actual year is listed within.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/364736350651
The Stevenage Edition (Year TBC)
Featuring a navy blue cover with a gold building on the front, this is one of numerous reprints from Routledge.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226973712421?customid&toolid=10050
https://www.reddit.com/r/AntiqueBooks/comments/15q5ut9/last_days_of_pompeii_by_sir_edward_lytton/
Everyman’s Library #80 (1935-1952)
Part of a series of reprints in the Everyman’s Library collection, published by J. M. Dent & Sons (London) and E. P. Dutton (New York). These covers are from the Ravilious Era, featuring art by Eric Ravilious. The knotted wood pattern was used between 1935-38, and the scallop pattern 1945-52. Mismatches in dust jackets and bindings are common due to the publisher’s manufacturing process.
Marshall Cavendish Edition (1976)
Published 1st November 1976 by Marshall Cavendish, this was released as a hardback book with a dust jacket. Copies are fairly common online and prices vary significantly, but affordable copies are not hard to find.
ISBN-10: 0856852503
ISBN-13: 978-0856852503
Guild Publishing Edition (1980)
This edition features a distinctive green cover with gold patterns, and the spine credits the author as Edward G.E. Bulwer-Lytton. It is inexpensive and fairly easy to find, and I own this edition as my reading copy.