1888 MARK TWAIN " Library of HUMOR " JUMPING FROG E.W. KEMBLE ILLUSTRATED FIRST EDITION, First State. In 1880, George Gebbie suggested to Mark Twain that he publish an anthology of humorous works. The idea eventually worked out into a project financed by Clemens to produce an anthology of American humor with himself as editor and Howells and Clark assisting. Clemens actually did the least work on the project, but he remained in control the whole time and had the final say in everything. He realized how minor his role had been and wanted to put Howells's name on the title page, but a legal agreement with Harper and Brothers that his name would only appear on their publications prevented this, and Harper and Brothers wanted $2,500 (approximately $50,000 with inflation) for a release, compelling Howells to sign the Introduction as "The Associate Editors." The book was published in 1888 by Charles L. Webster & Company. When that firm collapsed in 1894, Harper and Brothers took over the publication of all of Clemens's works. The Library of Humor was a valuable piece, containing many copyrighted works by many distinguished and popular authors. This is a Rare Find...in worn condition, but not so bad for being almost 125 years old and could be rebound~ As shown in photos the front cover is detaching from the book, as well as some of the first several pages coming away from binding at bottom and a few at the top~ Pages are mostly attached with just some in front coming loose~ all pages are included~ Illustrations are too many to count and throughout the edition~Book has an old Stamp with a name and town, also a small card with a Christmas greeting written to the name stamped in book~Pages are browning and have some spotting~also, there are some dried old flowers inside some of the pages which I am leaving as I like to leave books in the state I find them for their antique value and charm ~Very Collectible Edition~Would make a wonderful gift for a book collector or antique collector~ Would be fabulous as homedecor on a table to shelf~A Wonderful Piece of American History~The wonderful illustrations are done by E.W. Kemble, "Kemble was born 18 January 1861, in Sacramento, California. In 1875, he was enrolled at a boarding school in Philadelphia, which was a center of artistic activity. His artistic talent was natural enough that he was a successful contributor to periodicals by 1881. He became the major political cartoonist for the New York Graphic while receiving his only formal artistic training at the Art Students League.When Life magazine was founded in 1883, Kemble became a frequent contributor to its early issues. He was a staff political cartoonist for Collier's Weekly from 1903-1907, and then Harper's Weekly from 1907-1912, before returning to Collier's, Leslie's Weekly and Judge in the late 1910s.His lively cartoons, some of the magazine industry's most mature work, attracted the attention of Mark Twain, who employed Kemble to illustrate Huckleberry Finn. Kemble illustrated several other famous books as well, including Twain's Puddin' Head Wilson, Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, Washington Irving's Knickerbocker History of New York, and many of Joel Chandler Harris' Uncle Remus stories.Kemble is best remembered for his specialty, cartoons of African Americans. He is perhaps cartooning's supreme delineator of blacks, and his characterizations were often sympathetic. He took care to study the real urban and rural environs and living conditions of blacks. As such, his caricatures were never absurdly exaggerated, although he used every thematic convention to the fullest. Kemble produced many sensitive, almost photographic portraits of African Americans.