Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller — Second Printing of the First Edition, Pre-Publication Copy (1949) - Rare

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Description

A striking early edition of Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Death of a Salesman, issued before official publication in 1949 … Read more A striking early edition of Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Death of a Salesman, issued before official publication in 1949 by The Viking Press. This rare second printing of the first edition preserves the play exactly as it appeared when it first transformed American theater.

Bound in textured orange cloth boards, the volume bears a black-ink line illustration of the Loman family home — the symbolic stage where Miller’s tragedy of the American dream unfolds. Inside, the front and rear endpapers reveal the original set design, printed in soft monochrome — an atmospheric window into the play’s debut production.

This copy remains tightly bound and clean within, with light wear and sunning to the boards and a few gentle scuffs consistent with its age. The pages are crisp and evenly toned, carrying the quiet dignity of mid-century paper. The simple elegance of the design reflects the era’s modernist restraint and theatrical intimacy.

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Details
• Title: Death of a Salesman
• Author: Arthur Miller
• Edition: Second Printing of the First Edition (Pre-Publication)
• Publisher: The Viking Press, New York
• Year: 1949
• Binding: Orange cloth with black illustration and illustrated endpapers
• Condition: Very Good / Light Wear to Boards, Clean Interior, Tight Binding
• Dimensions: Approx. 8.25 “H × 5.5 “W × 1 “D
• Provenance: Private Collection, Preserved by Lucky Lucy’s NOLA

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Collector’s Note

Early first-edition printings of Death of a Salesman are highly sought after by collectors of 20th-century literature and theater. This edition captures Miller’s debut moment as one of America’s greatest playwrights — a timeless exploration of ambition, dignity, and the cost of the dream.

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Preservation at Lucky Lucy’s

At Lucky Lucy’s NOLA, every literary relic is treated as both artifact and art. This volume has been housed in archival-grade mylar, stored upright in a climate-controlled studio library, and gently dusted with a soft horsehair brush to preserve its original texture and tone.

We believe books like this are more than objects — they are witnesses. Each one is catalogued, recorded, and paired with its story before being offered to its next keeper.

Preserved with care in the Lucky Lucy’s NOLA collection — this vintage pre-publication second printing of Death of a Salesman (1949) is both a literary treasure and a design piece. Protected from humidity and light, it has been kept as part of our Crescent City archive, where each relic is documented for its beauty and cultural resonance.

At Lucky Lucy’s, every collectible is curated as an artifact of history and heart — blending preservation with poetic storytelling for the modern collector. See less