Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck Value Guide

Imperial Woman is a significant historical novel by Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck that dramatizes the life of Empress Dowager Cixi. This 1956 first edition is highly collectible for its vivid portrayal of China's transition from imperial rule to the modern era through the eyes of its most powerful female figure.

What Is Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck Worth?

The typical price range for Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck is $25 - $40 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The presence and condition of the original 1956 dust jacket significantly impact the $25-$40 price point.
• Overall physical condition, including the absence of foxing on the paper and crispness of the cardboard binding.
• Provenance or signatures, as copies signed by Pearl S. Buck can command a premium over the standard market value.
• The scarcity of well-preserved copies from the first US printing compared to later book club editions.

How to Identify Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck?

• Verify the publication date of 1956 on the title page or copyright page to ensure it is a first printing.
• Check for the original dust jacket featuring the mid-century cover art typical of the United States release.
• Confirm the publisher is John Day Company, which was the primary publisher for Buck's work in the US during this era.
• Look for the absence of later printing notations on the copyright page to confirm first edition status.

History of Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck

Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel Prize-winning American writer, spent much of her life in China. Her deep understanding of Chinese culture and history is evident in 'Imperial Woman', a fictionalized biography of Empress Dowager Cixi, one of the most powerful women in Chinese history. Published in 1956, the novel offers a vivid portrayal of the empress's journey from a concubine to a formidable ruler, set against the backdrop of a changing China.