Admiral of the Ocean Sea Book Value Guide

Admiral of the Ocean Sea is Samuel Eliot Morison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Christopher Columbus, first published in 1942. It is highly collectible due to Morison's unique approach of combining archival research with his own nautical recreations of Columbus’s voyages.

What Is Admiral of the Ocean Sea Book Worth?

The typical price range for Admiral of the Ocean Sea Book is $25 - $40 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• Condition of the decorative cloth binding, specifically looking for fading or fraying on the spine.
• Presence and state of the original dust jacket, which significantly increases market value.
• Edition type, with first editions and early 1940s printings commanding higher prices than later reprints.
• Internal cleanliness, including the absence of foxing, ink inscriptions, or library stamps.

How to Identify Admiral of the Ocean Sea Book?

• Look for the 1942 publication date on the title page to identify early editions.
• Check for the distinctive decorative cloth binding used in mid-20th-century printings.
• Verify the author as Samuel Eliot Morison and the publisher as Little, Brown and Company.
• Note if the edition is the single-volume version or the more comprehensive two-volume set.

History of Admiral of the Ocean Sea Book

Admiral of the Ocean Sea is Samuel Eliot Morison’s acclaimed biography of Christopher Columbus, first published in 1942. Morison, a distinguished naval historian, combined archival research and nautical expertise to recreate Columbus’s voyages. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for History and became a standard work on Columbus, often issued in decorated cloth bindings and reprints through mid 20th century.