Last updated: June 15, 2024

Le Testament d'un excentrique- 1899 

The Will of an Eccentric - 1900

61 illustrations (Georges Roux)

[Voyages Extraordinaires #46 - 2 Volumes - Les Deux Ameriques]

Image used with permission from
Project Jules Verne Illustrations by Bernhard Krauth, www.jules-verne-club.de

French
(J-M Margot)
Jules Verne
Encyclopedia
Myers
Bibliography
Galagher
Bibliography
TE
V048
M60
A83


Alternate English Titles:
    The Will of an Eccentric
    William J Hypperbone, or the Will of An Eccentric (from Boys Own Annual)

Plot Synopsis: 
(courtesy of D. Kytasaari - http://epguides.com/djk/JulesVerne/works.shtml)

William J. Hypperbone, an eccentric millionaire, living in Chicago, has left the sum of his fortune, $60,000,000, to the first person to reach the end of "The Noble Game of the United States of America." The game he devised is based upon the board game "The Noble Game of Goose"; however, in his version, the players are the tokens and the game board is the United States. The contestants are Max Real (with his companion Tommy); Tom Crabbe (with his trainer John Milner); Hermann Titbury (with his wife Kate); Harris T. Kymbale (on his own); Lizzie Wag (with her friend Jovita Foley); Hodge Urrican (with his companion Turk) and the mysterious player only known as "XKZ." And who is this mysterious "XKZ" who was added to the game by a codicil to the will? Time and completion of the game will tell.


Book Collecting Information:
Hetzel Editions:

This listing contains ALL Jules Verne Encyclopedia bibliographic entries for this book.

First English
Publication
Serial Form
Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"This work appeared in The Boy's Own as William J. Hypperbone in issues found in annual volume 22, which covered the period from October 7, 1889 through September 29, 1900."

William J Hypperbone
or The Will of An Eccentric

1899
Boys Own Paper
London

Annual Volume #22
in 30 installments

First UK Editon - Deluxe Edition





Illustration Table of Contents, 2 pages!



Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"In October 1900, Sampson Low published the first British edition of The Will of an Eccentric, in crown 8vo., fully illustrated, and priced at 6s."

The Will of an Eccentric
1900
Sampson Low, Marston and Company Ltd.
London

408 pages
59 illustrations plus GameBoard
Green cover shown

Features of this DELUXE 1900 Edition:

  • bevelled cover
  • gilt edges
  • taller than "standard" - 198mm
  • wider than "standard" - 139mm
  • thicker than "standard" - 44mm
  • twice the illustrations (2 pg illustr contents) - 59 plus GameBoard
  • floral endpapers
  • tissue game board is opposite Chapter 1 (NOT used as Frontis!)
  • spine title, gilt over white
  • plain (bevelled) back cover, no blindstamp
  • cover, white accents around Orange Sun

Size comparison Deluxe vs Standard:

"Board" of "The Noble Game of the United States"
instrumental in the storyline is opposite Chapter 1 in this volume.

Gary Munson Collection
Green copy Collection Andrew Nash

First UK Editon - Standard Edition
***This is a lesser book than above!***




Just 1 page of Illustration Contents:


** NOT Mentioned in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia**

***This is a lesser book than above!***

The Will of an Eccentric
1900
Sampson Low, Marston and Company Ltd.
London

408 pages
19 Illustrations plus GameBoard
Gray covers shown

Features of this STANDARD 1900 Edition:
(seems identical to the 1902 Cheap Edition, except the date!)

  • NON-bevelled cover (square edges)
  • plain (NOT Gilt) edges
  • shorter than "Deluxe" - 187mm
  • narrower than "Deluxe" - 132mm
  • thinner than "Deluxe" - 36mm (less illustrations!)
  • half the illustrations (1 pg illustr contents) - 19 plus GameBoard
  • Black / Charcoal endpapers
  • Tissue GameBoard is used as Frontis, opposite the Title page
  • spine title, gilt over black
  • back cover has Blindstamp SLMR logo
  • cover, black accents around Orange Sun

Size comparison Deluxe vs Standard:

"Board" of "The Noble Game of the United States"
instrumental in the storyline is used as the Frontispiece in this volume.

Grey Copy Collection Andrew Nash

First US Edition: Never published in the United States!!!
Other Editions:
1902



Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"In September 1902, Sampson Low published a Cheap Edition of The Will of an Eccentric, in crown 8vo., with 20 illustrations, and priced at 2s6d."

The Will of an Eccentric
1902
Sampson Low, Marston and Company Ltd.
London

Cheap Edition

Frontispiece is the Game board

nd? - 1906 Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"For Christmas 1906, Sampson Low published this title in the fully illustrated uniform copyright edition, priced at 2s6d. The Sampson Low edtions have a foldout gameboard map of the United States."

The Will of an Eccentric
?1906?
Sampson Low, Marston and Company Ltd.
London

nd
This entry not in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia

The Will of an Eccentric
nd
Grant Educational Co Ltd
Glasgow

See also:

  • Mathias Sandorf (2 parts)
  • Archipelago on Fire
  • North Against South
  • Green Ray

see "sets" page for Grant Educational editions

1986 Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"A new translation by Francoise R. DeLage Mendelsohn in collaboration with Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck was made in 1986 and copyrighted, although it does not appear to have been published."
 

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