Rare 1893 Edition of The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas – Antique Adventure Novel

This isn’t just any book—it’s a time-traveling passport, bound in the honor and intrigue of 19th-century publishing. While the copyright page notes 1893, this particular copy belongs to Little, Brown and Company’s Rittenhouse Classics series, issued between 1917 and 1925. In other words, it carries both the dignity of the original 19th-century copyright and the collectible charm of an early 20th-century reprint series.

The gilt lettering still gleams like a musketeer’s rapier under torchlight, and the ornate cover design carries the quiet dignity of a story well told. Inside, you’ll find a handwritten inscription on the front end page—proof that this book has passed through hands with stories of their own. The page is stained, as if from a spilled secret or perhaps the ghost of an old tear. A full-color frontispiece opposite the title page and a parade of black-and-white illustrations bring the daring deeds of Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and d’Artagnan to life.

Now, a word on nostalgia. My mother used to call my two brothers and me “the three musketeers”—a noble title we wore proudly, even if our biggest battles were over snacks or sofa space. So imagine my surprise when I discovered the original tale wasn’t all honor and heroics. Dumas pulls back the velvet curtain to reveal a world where loyalty is hard-won, justice is tangled in politics, and Milady wields seduction as skillfully as any blade. Yes, the novel was once banned for its scandalous content—Victorian sensibilities were no match for its sharp edge.

But at its heart, this book is a celebration of loyalty tested, friendships forged in fire, and the messy truth of growing into one’s ideals. It is an essential cornerstone of historical fiction—equal parts thrilling plot, rich character, and timeless wisdom.

This antiquarian gem belongs on the shelf of anyone who’s ever believed in honor, questioned it, and believed again.

“All for one, and one for all,” indeed.