Page last modified: July 16, 2003

Claudius Bombarnac - 1892

Claudius Bombarnac - 1894

55 illustrations (Leon Benett)

[Voyages Extraordinaires #38 - 1 Volume - L'Asie]

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
CB
V040
Mxxx
Axxx


Alternate English Titles: 

    Adventures of a Special Correspondent among the various races and countries of Central Asia
    Adventures of a Special Correspondent in Central Asia
    Claudius Bombarnac
    Claudius Bombarnac, Special Correspondent
    Claudius Bombarnac; a Story of Adventure and Mystery
    The Special Correspondent

Plot Synopsis: 
(courtesy of D. Kytasaari - http://epguides.com/djk/JulesVerne/works.shtml)
Claudius Bombarnac, a reporter is assigned by the Twentieth Century to cover the travels of the Grand Transasiatic Railway which runs between Uzun Ada, Turkestan and Peking, China. Accompanying him on this journey is an interesting collection of characters, including one who is trying to beat the round the world record and another who is a stowaway. Claudius hopes one of them will become the hero of his piece, so his story won't be just a boring travelogue. He is not disappointed when a special car guarded by troops is added to the train, said to be carrying the remains of a great Mandarin. The great Mandarin actually turns out to be a large consignment being returned to China from Persia. Unfortunately the train must travel through a large part of China that is controlled by unscrupulous robber-chiefs. Before the journey is over, Claudius finds his hero.

Timeframe of novel: Events take place in the 20th Century


Book Collecting Information:
Hetzel Editions:

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

First UK Serial Edition: Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"This work appeared in The Boy's Own as Claudius Bombarnac: A Story of Adventure and Mystery in issues found in annual volume 16, which covered the period from October 1893 through September 1894."

First English Editon:

 

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"In October 1894, Sampson Low published the first British edition of Claudius Bombarnac, in post 8vo., priced at 6s. The front cover shows Bombarnac standing on a train car with two other passengers, as one of them fires his rifle to stop a stray panther that was about to leap on the platform of the railroad car. The Spine shows Ghanghir asking Faruskiar "Is that a green light?" as they look on from a train car."

Claudius Bombarnac
1894
Sampson Low
London

279 pages

gilt edges

First US Edition:
Illustrated

May not exist - See description on right

BUT:
The Sun, New York, New York - Oct 10, 1894

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"On September 28, 1894, the U.S. Book Company copyrighted Claudius Bombarnac, and two hardcover copies were deposited on October 25."

Hardcover - No public copy of this edition has been seen!

The ad to the left, and below, published Oct 6 and Oct 10 and Oct 27, in The Sun and The Tribune, New York, New York say that the book was published by the U. S. Book Company on Oct 3, in Cloth ($1) and Paper (.50)!!!

Until a copy of this book is seen in public, the Lovell, Coryell and Co. copy below SHOULD be considered the First US Edition.

Reason: First, although the JVE entry says 2 copies were deposited, that does NOT mean the book was being published yet . (BUT again, the ads in October say it was published)
Second: U.S. Book company that holds the copyright, was the "parent" company of Lovell, Coryell and CO. (below publisher). U.S.Book Company was organized by John W. Lovell in 1890. See company history here and here.

Thank you to Don Holmes for the information and research.

The Sun, New York, New York - Oct 6, 1894:

The New York Tribune, New York - Oct 27, 1894

First US Edition in Wraps:
Illustrated

May not exist - See description on right

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"On October 9, 1894, the U.S. Book Company also copyrighted the same story as Special Correspondent, and two papercover copies were deposited on October 19."

Papercover - No public copy of this edition has been seen!

The ads in the above listing, published Oct 6 and Oct 10 and Oct 27, in The Sun and The Tribune, New York, New York say that the book was published by the U. S. Book Company on Oct 3, in Cloth ($1) and Paper (.50)!!!

Until a copy of this book is seen in public, the Lovell, Coryell and Co. copy below SHOULD be considered the First US Edition.

Reason: First, although the JVE entry says 2 copies were deposited, that does NOT mean the book was being published yet . (BUT again, the ads in October say it was published)
Second: U.S. Book company that holds the copyright, was the "parent" company of Lovell, Coryell and CO. (below publisher). U.s.Book Company was organized by John W. Lovell in 1890. See company history here and here.

Thank you to Don Holmes for the information and research.

First (Illustrated) US Edition:
This is the TRUE 1st US Edition (see above)

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"By November 10, 1894, Lovell, Coryell and Company published The Special Correspndent; or the Adventures of Claudius Bombarnac, v and 279 pages, with 52 illustrations, pictorial cloth, priced at $1..... The simple pictorial binding bears the image of Bombarnac "on the war-path" going after a story."

This is the TRUE 1st US Edition (see above)

The Special Correspondent,
or The Adventures of Claudius Bombarnac

1894
Lovell, Coryell and Co.
New York

Pictorial brown cloth
279 pages
52 illustrations

Ads:
The earliest ad i could find that shows publisher Lovell, Coryell & Co. is in The Buffalo Morning Express, Oct 21, 1894

The Indianapolis News, Oct 24, 1894
"The Special Correspondent, or The Adventures of Claudius Bombarnac, By Jules Verne. New York: Lovell, Coryell & Co."

The Winnepeg Tribune, Sat Oct 27, 1894

Rochester, New York - Democrat and Chronicle, Oct 30, 1894

The Weekly Wisconsin, Sat Nov 24, 1894

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"Lovell, Coryell also published The Special Correspondent in papercovers with 52 illustrations."

The Special Correspondent,
or The Adventures of Claudius Bombarnac

1894
Lovell, Coryell and Co.
New York

52 illustrations

papercovers

Other Editions: 
Date ??
Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"On November 10, 1894, George Mounro obtained his last Verne copyright with Special Correspondent, and two copies were deposited on November 19."

The Special Correspondent
nd
Geo. Munro Publisher
17 to 27 Vanderwater St.
New York

Seaside Library Pocket Edition No. 2078

Price 25 Cents

Ed: When was this Seaside Library Edition published???

nd-1894
Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"On November 10, 1894, George Munro obtained his last Verne copyright with Special Correspondent, and two copies were deposited on November 19."

The Special Correspondent
nd
George Munro's Sons
New York

Is this Buffalo ad, from Buffalo Morning Express Oct 25, 1894 this edition, because of the 15 cent cost!?

The cover of this edition was just plain Black Cloth

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"By December 1, 1894, E. A. Weeks and Company of Chicago published Claudius Bombarnac, as well as The Special Correspondent, as No. 29 of the Melbourne Series, ii and 279 pages, papercover, priced at 25 cents."

Claudius Bombarnac
The Special Correspondent

nd
E A Weeks
Chicago

Melbourne Series No. 29

279 pages
papercover
25 cents

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"...Weeks also published this work in hardcover."

Claudius Bombarnac
Special Correspondent

nd
E A Weeks
Chicago

nd-copyright 1896


This book not listed in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia

The Special Correspondent
nd - copyright 1896
George Munro's Sons
17 to 27 Vanderwater Street
New York

The Majestic Series

5 1/2" X 7 3/4"

This volume includes an ad for The Majestic Series, and no. 1 in the series is The Abandoned by Jules Verne.

nd - bookplate 1896

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"After 1895, Sampson Low published the MacGregor Library Edition of Claudius Bombarnac, in crown 8vo., priced at 2s6d."

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

Claudius Bombarnac
nd - bookplate 1896
Sampson Low
London

New and Cheaper Edition

The Macgregor Copyright Library for Boys Edition

This edition is a Deluxe edition, with gilt edges, beveled boards, and extra white detail on the cover (discharge from gun, over mans shoulder, and steam from train near the tracks) - See Below

Images courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

nd

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"In October 1896, Sampson Low published Claudius Bombarnac, in post 8vo., priced at 2s6d."

Claudius Bombarnac
nd
Sampson Low
London

New and Cheaper Edition

This edition is a Standard edition, with NO gilt edges, NO beveled boards, and NO extra white detail on the cover - See Below

Images courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

This book not listed in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia

Claudius Bombarnac, The Special Correspondent
nd
Home Book Company
New York

nd-circa 1897

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"Around 1897, Hurst published Claudius Bombarnac in identically bound decorative cloth editions under their own imprint and that of the Manhattan Publishing Company."

Claudius Bombarnac
circa 1897
Hurst and Co,
New York

nd-circa 1897
Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"Around 1897, Hurst published Claudius Bombarnac in identically bound decorative cloth editions under their own imprint and that of the Manhattan Publishing Company."
(same entry as above)

Claudius Bombarnac
circa 1897
Manhattan Publishing Company,
New York

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"In the 1890s, Hurst also published Claudius Bombarnac as No. 231 in the Hawthorne Library papercover edition."

Hmm "1890s" is quite vague, considering the 1st edition was 1894 and the above reference is 1897!

Claudius Bombarnac
nd
Hurst and Co,
New York

Hawthorne Library No. 231

papercover

nd-circa 1900
(plain burgundy cloth cover!)

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"Around the turn of the century, Thompson and Thomas published Claudius Bombarnac in an unillustrated cloth-bound edition."

This translation opens:
"Claudius Bombarnac, Special Correspondent, "Twentieth Century." Tiflis, Transcaucasia.
Such is the address of the telegram I found on the 13th of May when I arrived at Tiflis.
This is what the telegram said,_"

Claudius Bombarnac
nd
Thompson and Thomas
Chicago

Collection Andrew Nash

nd - circa 1909


Adventures of a Special Correspondent in Central Asia
nd
Hurst and Company Publishers
New York

0 illustrations

seen with a DJ

Jules Verne Series

Collection Andrew Nash

nd-circa 1910
Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"Around 1910, the Log Cabin Press published The Adventures of a Special Correspondent as No. 37 in the Log Cabin Series papercover edtion."

The Adventures of a Special Correspondent
nd
Log Cabin Press
xx

Log Cabin Series No. 37

papercover

circa 1910
This book not listed in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia

Claudius Bombarnac
circa 1910
M A Donohue
Chicago

Jules Verne Series

nd
This book not listed in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia

Claudius Bombarnac
nd
Hurst and Co,
New York

nd
This book not listed in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia

Claudius Bombarnac
nd
Hurst and Company
New York

nd
This book not listed in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia

Claudius Bombarnac
nd
Hurst and Company
New York

nd (after 1912)

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"From about 1912 on, several houses out of Akron, Ohio published and republished an edition of Special Correspondent, starting with McLellan Publishers Co., then the New Werner Co., and finally the Superior Printing Co."

A Special Correspondent
nd
MacLellan N.Y. Company Publishers
Akron, Ohio

On the reverse of the title page, is a 1 paragraph "Biography and Bibliography":
" Jules Verne, French author, was born at nantes, France, in 1828, and died in 1905. In 1850 he wrote a comedy in verse, but he eventually confined himself to the writing of scientific and geographical romances, acheiving a great reputation. He visited the United States in 1867, sailing for New York on the Great Eastern, and his book, A Floating City, was the result of this voyage. His best-known books are: A Captain at Fifteen, A Two Years' Vacation, A Voyage to the Center of the Earth (1864), From the Earth to the Moon (1865), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1870), A Tour of the World in Eighty Days (1873), Michael Strogoff (1876), Mrs. Branica (sic) (1891), Clovis Dardentor (1896), The Brothers Kip (1902). Most of his works have been translated into English. "

This is a delightful little book. Even comes with a guarantee that "The story in this book is complete as written and published by the author."

nd-1912

Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"From about 1912 on, several houses out of Akron, Ohio published and republished an edition of Special Correspondent, starting with McLellan Publishers Co., then the New Werner Co., and Finally the Superior Printing Co."
(same entry as above)

A Special Correspondent
The Adventures of a Special Correspondent
Among the Various Races and Countries of Central Asia
Being the Exploits and Experiences of
Claudius Bombarnac of "The Twentieth Century"

nd
New Werner Co.
Akron, Ohio

The Best Book Series

nd-1912
Jules Verne Encyclopedia:
"From about 1912 on, several houses out of Akron, Ohio published and republished an edition of Special Correspondent, starting with McLellan Publishers Co., then the New Werner Co., and Finally the Superior Printing Co."
(same entry as above)

A Special Correspondent
nd
Superior Printing Co.
Akron, Ohio

 

Return to Verne Titles Page
Return
to Jules Verne Collecting Web Page Collecting
©Images copyright Andrew Nash 2011 to 2024
WebPage Design by Puppy Cup Productions