Description:

Jack Kerouac
n.p., n.d.
Jack Kerouac Signed 1st Ed. "The Town And The City" With Early Signature As "John Kerouac"
SB

A first edition copy of John "Jack" Kerouac (1922-1969), "The Town And The City" (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1950), signed by the Beatnik author with an early signature as "John Kerouac" on the first loose endpaper. N.d., n.p. The hardcover book is in red publisher's cloth covers as issued, with a gilt "JK" monogram on the front cover, and gilt-embossed spine. Stated First Edition on the copyright page. Expected wear including scattered uneven stains to the covers and textblock, with moderate to severe shelf rubbing to cover edges and corners. Isolated staining to the spine and loss to the upper headband. Mostly even toning within, with isolated water stains affecting the first few pages through p. 150, and from p. 408 to the end of the book. Isolated closed tears at the back loose endpapers. Some margin notes and dog-eared corners, notably p. 360, 361, and 381. Else good to very good. 3-499pp. 5.75" x 8.25" x 1.25."

"The Town And The City" was Kerouac's first published novel, and he used his full name of "John Kerouac" for authorship and copyright. First edition presentation copies of "The Town And The City" signed as "John Kerouac" are prized among literary collectors, as it is much more common to find Kerouac signed books as "Jack," "Jack K." or "JK." University Archives has handled well over 300 items relating to Jack Kerouac, the majority sourced directly from the Jack Kerouac estate. We cataloged a handful of mostly legal documents (checks, land deeds, official certificates, receipts, etc.) that were signed by Kerouac as "John L. Kerouac," and a few pieces of original artwork signed by him as "Jean Louis Kérouac." None of these Kerouac items were signed as "John Kerouac." It's a true rarity!

"The Town And The City" was richly inspired by the author's own experiences. The story revolved around "The Town" - a fictional New England community named Galloway based on Kerouac's hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts - and "The City" - New York City. The protagonist Peter Martin is exposed to radically different ideas and lifestyles in each place.

Kerouac's manuscript of "The Town And The City" was rejected multiple times by publishers until it was picked up by Harcourt, Brace and Company after considerable edits and redaction. The book was not very commercially successful, but "The Town And The City" was a solid beginning. Kerouac would sweep the national stage with his widely acclaimed masterpiece "On the Road" (1957).

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 5.75" x 8.25" x 1.25"
  • Medium: SB

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January 7, 2026 10:00 AM EST
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University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000