Joseph in Egypt Thomas Mann 2-Vol HC Set Slipcase Dust Jacket 1938 Knopf For Sale

Here is a rare opportunity to own a beautiful 1938 first-English-translation set of Thomas Mann's Joseph in Egypt, the third novel in his monumental Joseph and His Brothers tetralogy — one of the towering literary achievements of the twentieth century. This two-volume Knopf hardcover, translated by H. T. Lowe-Porter, is the sixth printing of that landmark first English edition, issued February 28, 1938, and bears the distinguished Borzoi colophon on the title page. The set comes complete in its original slipcase with a single wrap-around dust jacket that the seller rates Pristine — an extraordinary survival for an 86-year-old book, and the jacket alone makes this a serious collector's piece. A previous owner's name inscribed under the covers adds a quiet note of human provenance to a book that has clearly been treasured.

• ✍️ Author: Thomas Mann (translated by H. T. Lowe-Porter)
• 🏢 Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, New York
• 📅 Year: 1938 (published February 28, 1938)
• 📄 Format: Hardcover, two-volume set in original slipcase
• 📖 Edition: Sixth printing of the first English translation; original wrap-around dust jacket rated Pristine; Borzoi/Knopf colophon on title page
• 🔖 ISBN: None — predates the ISBN system
• ✅ Best For: Thomas Mann collectors, fans of 20th-century literary fiction, vintage Knopf Borzoi collectors, and serious readers of the Joseph tetralogy

• ⚠️ Slipcase shows moderate wear at top edges and corners, with fraying and splitting at the top of the spine area
• ⚠️ Previous owner's name inscribed under the book covers — left visible; described here as provenance
• ✅ Dust jacket: single wrap-around paper jacket rated Pristine — in near-perfect condition, a remarkable survival for a 1938 printing
• ✅ Both cloth boards intact with light age fading and minor surface soiling consistent with age
• ✅ Original slipcase present and complete
• ✅ Bindings tight and intact in both volumes
• ✅ Pages clean and cream-toned; age-appropriate tanning throughout; no writing, highlighting, or heavy soiling
• ✅ Title page and copyright pages clean with no stamps or markings

A wonderfully preserved set with an exceptional jacket — the kind of copy that serious collectors and Mann devotees will be glad they found.

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