Story of the Treasure Seekers

NESBIT, E[dith]. The Story of the Treasure Seekers. Being the Adventures of the Bastable Children in Search of a Fortune. With Illustrations by Gordon Brown and Lewis Baumer. NY: Frederick A. Stokes [1899]. 8vo, [vi] 296pp. Green cloth stamped in gilt and front pictorially stamped in white. 8 b&w plates. Spine ends and corners a tad rubbed, small sang to cloth at right edge of front board, slightest foxing to fore edge of sheets, else an internally clean, bright copy.

First US edition. Nesbit’s first novel following the hilarious adventures of the Bastable children. Dora, Oswald, Dicky, Alice, Noel, and H.O. attempt to assist their widowed father in recovering the fortunes of their family through a series of misguided and charming adventures. This was Nesbit’s first great success and the introduction to her wonderful talent for writing stories about realistic children like her readers were familiar with. The use of the “anonymous” narrator was an added touch of inspiration!