Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea(s)

First US Editions Identification

vs

Image	Edition	Date on  Title Page	Publisher	Spine	Cover Image SEA vs SEAS	"The End"  on Page 303
	1st Osgood Variant A	1873	James R. Osgood	James R. Osgood	Jellyfish "SEA"	Yes
	1st: Osgood Variant B	1873	James R. Osgood	James R. Osgood	Nemo "SEA"	Yes
	1st Osgood Variant C	1873	Sampson Low London	James R. Osgood	Nemo "SEA"	Yes
	1st Smith	1873	Geo. M. Smith	Geo. M. Smith	Nemo "SEAS"	Yes
	1st Smith later ed.	1873	Geo. M. Smith	Geo. M. Smith	Nemo "SEAS"	No
	2nd Smith	1874	Geo. M. Smith	Geo. M. Smith	Nemo "SEAS"	Yes
	3rd Smith	1875	Geo. M. Smith	Geo. M. Smith	Nemo "SEAS"	Yes

1st US Edition: Variant A
most common of the "rare" 1st editions

1873 - James R. Osgood, Boston

The first US edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is very interesting. It is less difficult to aquire than was once believed. It was ONCE believed that there were only 15 - 20 copies known. (*** NOTE: This number is WAY too low, as quite a few "unknown" copies have been sold on Ebay and at traditional auctions over the years. See end of this section for over 20 examples!!! ***)
The 1873 edition by James R. Osgood was actually published in November 1872 using the same sheets as the Sampson Low British edition. 
This volume has the title Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea on the cover and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. on the title page. 
The cover illustration is an image of Jelly Fish in a disc in the center of the cover.
The bottom of the spine names the publisher J. R. Osgood & Co 
It is known in Blue, Green, Brick and Salmon coloured cloth.
 

The title page layout is (Tissue between Frontis and Title page):

The cover illustration is that of Jellyfish.

The pages edges are natural, not gilt

The text in the book concludes on page 303 with the words "THE END"

Here is a selection of the "Jellyfish" editions that I have captured, to show that the "MYTH" that there are only 15 to 20 in existance is NOT true.

1st US Edition: Variant B
equally as rare as Variant C

1873 - James R. Osgood, Boston

Same features as JellyFish above EXCEPT has Nemo on the cover, and the cover has less gilt

1st US Edition: Variant C
equally as rare as Variant B

1873 - Sampson Low, London (with James R. Osgood at base of spine)

2nd US Edition:

1873 - Geo. M. Smith & Co.
(2 Variants = "THE END" on page 303 AND  no "THE END" on page 303)

The more common 1873 edition is published by Geo. M. Smith & Co. Boston.
This volume has the title Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas on the cover as well as on the title page.

The cover illustration is an image of Captain Nemo using a Sextant in a disc in the center of the cover.

The title page layout is:

The first printings of this 1873 book by Geo. M. Smith, conclude on page 303 with the words "THE END"
Later printings of the 1873 edition, no longer have the words "THE END"

Near identical editions exist with the dates 1873, 1874 and 1875