Porto Bello Gold
Porto Bello gold
Did you know that there is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s epic pirate adventure Treasure Island? It’s true! Porto Bello Gold, by prolific pulp fiction writer Arthur D. Howden Smith, tells how the treasure got to Treasure Island, complete with Billy Bones, Captain Flint, and, of course, Long John Silver. Despite some kitschy chapter titles, such as “Fetch Aft the Rum, Darby McGraw” and “The One-Legged Man and the Irish Maid,” Porto Bello Gold is more than just Roaring Twenties fan fiction. Knowing he was treading on sacred adventure-story ground, Howden Smith approached Lloyd Osborne (Stevenson’s stepson, dedicatee of Treasure Island, and executor of Stevenson's estate) for his blessing. Fortunately for fans, this was given freely, and readers had a second chance to discover the glittering literary treasures of a beloved world.
This is an early 20th-century publisher's binding. The head of the spine is torn. The textblock is separating from the cover, because the spine lining is failing. Conservators will remove the book from the case and reline the spine. The case will be repaired and the textblock replaced in the original binding. The decorative endpapers will be retained.
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Adoption Type: Preserve for the Future
