1871 Man: A Poem in 12 Cantos by Franz S. Ganter — Rare New Orleans Imprint — Author’s Edition

Offered here is an exceedingly scarce 19th-century New Orleans imprint:

Title: Man: A Poem in 12 Cantos (“Ab ovo usque ad mala”)
Author: Franz S. Ganter
Edition: Author’s Edition
Publisher: New Orleans Commercial Bulletin Printing Co., 133 Gravier St.
Date: 1871
Original Price: One Dollar (printed on cover)

This volume is a rare example of Louisiana literary history, printed in New Orleans just six years after the Civil War. The book is a philosophical and moral poem in twelve cantos, reflecting on man’s nature and destiny.

• Format: Softcover pamphlet-style in original printed wraps.

• Pagination: ~176 pp. (with rear errata page present).

• Size: approx. 9" x 6"

• Condition: Fair to good for age. Covers show staining, edge wear, creasing, and spotting. Binding fragile but intact; interior pages toned with scattered foxing. Rear wrapper browned. Still complete and legible, a solid survivor of a very uncommon work.

This is a rare survivor of regional New Orleans literature — no copies are currently for sale on the market, and institutional holdings are scarce. An excellent acquisition for collectors of Louisiana history, American poetry, or Reconstruction-era Southern printing.