A "basterdized" rip off of Mistress Branican.

The Californians; or Captain and Captain's Wife
A Graphic Story of American Enterprise and Daring by Jules Verne, Author of "Around the World in Eighty Days."
Written for the Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times
June 21 to Aug 16, 1891
(Only on Sundays, usually page 9 or 10)
(2 Chapters per week)
Los Angeles

Chapter 1 starts:

"The Dreadnaught
There are two chances to one that friends who are about to be seperated by a loing voyage will never see each other again -- those who are left behind may be missing upon return; those who set out may never come back again. But no such though as this bothered the heads of the seamen who were busily engaged in getting the Dreadaught ready for sea on the morning of March 15, 1875. On that day the Dreadnaught, John Allaire master, was to set sail from the port of San Diego, Cal., on a voyage through the seas of the northern Pacific.
....
(Paragraph 3)
Captain John Allaire was a young man just 29 with an open manly countenance full of force and decision.
...
(Paragraph 4)
John Allaire had taken a wife a few years previous to the sailing of the Dreadnaught, a Miss Molly Mason -- an orphan, belonging to one of the best families in San Diego. ..."

Ed: As you can see:

• The Chapter 1 title was "The Franklin" in Mistress Branican, and here it is "The Dreadnaught"
• The name of the ship has changed from Franklin to Dreadnaught, but its weight has remained at 900 tons.
• The Date and port of sailing has remained the same: March 15, 1875 and San Diego
• John Branican has become John Allaire but he remains 29 in both.
• Joh Branican's wife, Dolly Starter, an orphan, has become Molly Mason, an orphan, here!
• In the last few chapters, Farina Town, Australia is mentioned in BOTH versions.
• There are 20 chapters here, with 16 in the original!

I have NOT read the whole story, but it at least starts off "parallelling" the original, with just name changes.

It is obvious that someone , other than Jules, "Wrote this for the Los Angleses Times".

HA HA -Mar 16, 2021 - I just found out that people are selling digital copies of "Jules Verne's The Californians" on Amazon!
HA - A BAD copy of Mistress Branican! HA HA

Below: One of the LA Times announcements in June 20, 1891 newspaper.

** Ed: The Californians added this to the page Mar 16, 2021.

This story WAS published in various newspapers!

Tale of a Hat or Josh Merritt's Mania
(Copyright 1891 by the Authors' alliance)
1891 (Sunday, Nov 29)
The Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh, PA

Notice for The Tale of a Hat
Fri Nov 4, 1892
Wilkes Barre Times Leader - The Evening News
Wilkes Barre Record

Notice for tomorrows publication and summary of The Tale of a Hat
The Pittsburgh Press, Sat Nov 28,1891

Mistress Branican
nd-1892
Cassell Publishing Co.,
New York

described by seller as "2nd Edition, Early less expensive American Edition in Bright blue ... numerous additional full page plates by L. Benett, printed back to back...."

NOTE: Bell on spine in FULL gilt vs Gilt and Black!!!!!

NOTE: M in Mistress does NOT have the long tail!!!

Images courtesy of SF & F Books (Chester, VA, U.S.A.)

The story starts:
"Now what hat was this? And why did Jos Merritt spend his life in searching for a hat?
This eccentric Liverpudlian was one of those inoffensive maniacs who do not belong exclusively to the United Kingdom. They are to be found on the banks of the Loire, the Elbe, the Danube, or the Escaut, as well as in the countries watered by the Thames, the Clyde and the Tweed. Jos Merritt was very rich and very well known in Lancashire and the surrounding counties as an enthusiastic ‘‘ collector.” It was not pictures, books, objects of art or even knick-knacks that he collected with great trouble and at much expense. No! It was hats—a museum of historical headgears and coiffures of any sort worn by man, woman or child.
On his own statement, he possessed some very precious historical curiosities; the helmet worn by Patrocles when he was slain by Hector at the siege of Troy; the cap used by Themistocles at the battle of Salamis; the insignia of Galen and Hippocrates; Caesar’s galea, which a blast of wind had carried off just as he crossed the Rubicon; Lucretia Borgia’s headdress for each of her weddings, with Sforza, Alphonso d’Este and Alphonso d’Aragon respectively; Tamerlin’s favorite turban in his march through Sindh; that of Genghis Khan when he destroyed Bokhara and Samarcand; Elizabeth’s coiffure at her coronation; that of Mary Stuart when she escaped from the castle of Lochleven; that of Catherine II, when she was crowned at Moscow; the cap worn by Peter the Great when he worked in the shipbuilding yards at Saardam; Marlborough’s soft hat, used by him at the battle of Ramilies; the headgear of King Olaus of Denmark, who was killed at Sticklestad; Gessler's hat which William Tell would not salute; the peaked hat that Napoleon I, wore at Wagram; and a hundred others no less curious.
......."

The Enthusiastic Hat Collector
In: The Publishers Weekly
Vol XLIII, No 21, Whole No. 1113
May 27, 1893
28 Elm Street,
New York

Under the title, reads:
From Jules Verne's "Mistress Branican", [Cassell]

1 1/3 columns long

Mistress Branican
xx (May 1893)
Copp, Clark Co.
Toronto
(also see Canadian Jules Verne page)

"Profusely illustrated"

Hardcover

Announced as in print, in:
Books and Notions:
Organ of the Book, Staionery, Fancy Goods,
Music, Wall Paper and Printing Trade.
Vol IX, No. 5, Page 8 (Canadian Books column)
May 1893
Toronto

"The Copp, Clark Co. controls a new book in cloth by Jules Verne, entitled "Mistress Branican." It is profusely illustrated, and is said to be a worthy book."

This unknown listing found by James Keeline

Mistress Branican
xx (May 1893)
Rose Publishing Co. Ltd.
Toronto
(also see Canadian Jules Verne page)

translated by A. Estoclet

"paper edition, with a very neat cover
... accompanied by many illustrations by L. Bennett."

50 cents

Octavo Demy, 470 pages

Ad Page 12:
"The Premier Library
A Library of choice books ; well printed, good paper, in handsome paper covers. Price, at 50 cents. Trade price, 1/2 % off. In lots of 25 40%.

16. Mistress Branican, by Jules Verne, illustrated"

Ed: "Rose" also publshed A Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Mark Twain, 1890, and Canada's Patriot Statesman. The Life and Career of The Right Honorable Sir John A. Macdonald,1891

Announced as in print, in:
Books and Notions:
Organ of the Book, Staionery, Fancy Goods,
Music, Wall Paper and Printing Trade.
Vol IX, No. 5, Page 12 & 14 (New Publications)
May 1893
Toronto

Page 14:
"MISTRESS BRANICAN is a new novel by that famous man, Jules Verne. The Rose Publishing Co. have a paper edition, with a very neat cover, to retail at 50 cents. It is translated by A. Estoclet, and is accompanied by many illustrations by L. Bennett. John Branican was a captain, whose good ship, Franklin, left in 1875 the port of San Diego in California, ..."

ALSO Announced as in print, in:
The Canadian Magazine
1893, June, Vol 1, Issue 4,

Page 328:
"Jules Verne's characteristic style is so well known, that to say that this novel is in keeping with the best of his former ones is, to say nearly all that can be said. Vivacious in stye, full of adventure and of the scientific imagination which has formed the chief charm of this copious writer, the tale of Mistress Branican possesses a good deal of interest, especially to boys. The book is illustrated with about 70 woodcuts."

This unknown listing found by James Keeline

Mistress Branican
nd-1893
Cassell Publishing Co.,
New York

4 + 377 pages

Cloth - $1 / Paper 50cents
(As per The Publishers' Weekly April 8, 1893, page 584))

Cassell's Sunshine Series of Choice Fiction - No. 137

When you find it, it will look like this:
Caesar Cascable/Cassell's Sunshine Series of Choice Fiction-No. 113

Notice re Macgregor edition, from 1895:
(The Pall Mall Gazette)

Example rear cover emblen

Mistress Branican
nd (inscribed 1895)
Sampson Low
London

Not beveled boards!

1st Image courtesy of Dana Eales

Mistress Branican
nd-circa 1896
Sampson Low Marston and Co
London

Illustrated

New and Cheaper Edition

Ed: Images to the left are "New and Cheaper" and NOT "New Edition|

7.5 inches tall

Gilt page edges

Beveled Boards!

He threw himself amid the waves

Not specifically mentioned in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia.

Mistress Branican
nd-circa 1900
Sampson Low Marston and Co
London

Illustrated

New and Cheaper Edition

NOT Beveled Boards!

Collection Andrew Nash

nd - 1902

He threw himself amid the waves Frontice

Note: This "could" be the 1905 or 1906 Sampson Low!
but it IS "New and Cheaper"!

Mistress Branican
nd-BkPlate-School Prize 1916
Sampson Low Marston and Co
London

Tissue between Frontice Illustration and Title page

New and Cheaper Edition

Illustrated

11 illustrations, including Frontice + image onTitle page
(1st image in my copy between 48/49 There! There! repeated Dolly)

nd - UNIQUE 1905-1906

Mistress Branican
nd
Sampson Low Marston and Co
London

New and Cheaper edition

***** This is a UNIQUE Edition
At first glance it is a regular edition of Mistress Branican with a MISPRINTED cover. The Gilt font of the Mistress Branican title on the cover is identical to the Gilt Font of the know Sampson Low editions, 1st edition and on to New and Cheaper. The font would fit over the image of John Branican amid the waves OR over the image of the sailor on the boom.

But this is a new and Cheaper edition , as per the title page, SO it would need to be the 1900, 1902, 1905 or 1906.

But let's look at the "Jules Verne" on the cover.

1) The Jules Verne on the cover is in Gilt.
On the Sampson Low editions up to 1900, the Jules Verne is in BLACK! BUT as the 1902 image shows, the Jules Verne on that edition is now Gilt, so this edition is consistent with the New and Cheaper editions of 1902, 1905 & 1906

2)BUT Look at the font. The J on the cover has an extra curl at the end (Elf Shoe - like!!!) (NOT same as 1902 edition)
VS

3) AND the Jules Verne is slanting to the left!!! NOT like the1902 I show as it is square, straight up and down
VS

SO Either this volume is a MISPRINT of the1905 or 1906 editions
OR is a UNIQUE edition.

At the moment it is a mystery!

Image courtesy of Glenn Gretlund

Mistress Branican
nd
Cassell Publishing Company
104 & 106 Fourth Avenue
New York

Cassells Juvenile Series

Translated from the French by A. Estoclet

This is NOT a recognized 1st edition

Mistress Branican
nd
Cassell Publishing Co
New York

185x130mm (7 3/8x5.25inch)

Navy Blue Plain cover
Bevelled Boards

Gilt title, Jules Verne and Cassell Publishing Co on spine
Top edge of pages Gilt

Table of Contents

FULLY Illustrated
I counted 81 illustr including Frontice in mine but maybe 83?..I'll count again.
Frontice = Mistress Branican

Collection Andrew Nash

The Wreck of the Franklin
nd-copyright 1903
Street & Smith Publishers
New York amd London

Ed: NO Specific identifying features of these listings

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"For Christmas 1906, Sampson Low published this title in the fully illustrated uniform copyright edition, priced at 2s6d."

Curly Queue "J"

Red image courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

***** This is a UNIQUE Edition
It is a New and Cheaper edition, that has a misprinted spine. The image that is supposed to be there is missing!

Mistress Branican
nd
Sampson Low, Marston & Company
Limited
St Dunstan's House
Fetter Lane, Fleet Street, E.C.
London

Curly Queue "J"

The Wreck of the Franklin
nd (copyright 1907)
Chatterton-Peck Company
New York

This copy inscribed 1912
This is an interesting variant of Mistress Branican using
a unique title variation.
The cover is a simplified version of the 1st US edition by
Cassell Publishing Co, but they have used an odd title
variation.

2nd Image courtesy of Dana Eales

Mistress Branican
nd
Mershon Co
New Jersey

Last 2 images courtesy of Dana Eales

Mistress Branican
circa 19xx
Mershon Co
New Jersey

Mystery of the Franklin
nd
Sampson Low
London

Small Ship Cover

This book???
Note: A Biography of the author in back of the book says "in 1928 we will be celebrating the anniversary of his birth" .

The Mystery of the Franklin
Mistress Branican
nd
Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.
London

Big Ship Cover

This book???
Note: A Biography of the author in back of the book says "in 1928 we will be celebrating the anniversary of his birth" .

Mistress Branican
nd (1970)
Sun Books
Melbourne, Australia