King Solomon's Mines is Haggard’s first published and perhaps the most well known Allan Quatermain adventure. In this African romance, Allan and his English companions Sir Henry Curtis and Captain John Good use an old map to search for King Solomon's treasure. Before securing these riches, the men must outsmart the witch Gagool and return the native African Umbopa to his rightful place as King of Kukuanaland.

Cassell & Co., London, published the first edition of KSM in September 1885 in a printing of 2000 copies. Cassell, New York, published the first US Edition in November 1885. Cassell’s 53rd Thousand edition, the first illustrated version of KSM, included 9 illustrations by Walter Paget. In November 1905 Cassell, London, published an illustrated edition featuring 32 illustrations by W. Russell Flint. In 1912 Cassell, London, published another edition, this one illustrated with 8 plates by A. C. Michael. Cassell's 1915 edition includes only 4 of Michael's illustrations. The Reader's Library, London, published an edition with a dust jacket illustrated by Albert Morrow in c. 1920. In 1921, The Nugget Weekly published a serialization of KSM illustrated by John L. Bennett. In 1950, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released a film adaptation of KSM directed by Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton, and starring Deborah Kerr, Stewart Granger, and Richard Carlson. A year later the publisher Ward, Lock and Co. published a new edition of KSM featuring photographic film stills from the movie. Macdonald & Co., London, published an edition of KSM illustrated by Hookway Cowles in 1956, 1st thus, with a 3rd imprint appearing in November 1964. Ballantine, New York, published an edition with cover art by Tom Beecham in c. 1963.

KSM was translated into many languages, and many of these translated editions were illustrated. In c. 1890, J. Hetzel et Cie, Paris, published a French edition titled Aventures D'Allan Quatremain Aux Mines de Salomon as part of their Bibliothèque des Succès Scolaires (School Success Library) series. C. Lemaire translated this edition into French, Th. Bentzon wrote a preface, and Édouard Riou illustrated this edition.

In 1888, Theo. Stroefer`s Kunstverlag, Nürnberg, published a German edition translated by M. Strauss and titled Umbopa König Von Kukuanaland. This edition has 24 illustrations, 4 colored lithographs and 20 woodcut illustrations. In 1898, Theo. Stroefer`s Kunstverlag published KSM again, presumably with the same illustrations, but using the title Diamantminen von Afrika. This edition has 24 illustrations by three artists: Henri Dochy (6 portraits of the adventurers), Édouard Riou (13, likely from the J. Hetzel edition), and Walter Paget (5 illustrations from the Cassell edition, one of which was used for the book cover). In 1910, Theodor Stroefer`s Kunstverlag, München, published KSM using the title Königs Salomos Schatzkammer.

Portuguese editions of KSM titled As Minas de Salomão published by Tradução Revista por Eça de Queiroz, Porto, Portugal, were published in 1902 and 1920. Lello & Irmão, Porto, Portugal, also published an edition, n.d.. All these editions include portraits of the author José Maria de Eça de Queirós on the frontispiece.

In 1970, Nuovi Sonzogno, Milan, published an Italian edition titled Le Miniere Del Re Salomone with an illustrated cover.

Ediciones Record, Buenos Aires, published a Spanish edition titled Las Minas Del Rey Salomon in 1976 illustrated by Jose Luis Salinas.

Further Reading

Haggard, H. Rider. The Days of My Life, An Autobiography. 2 Vols. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1926. I: 220, 226, 231, 233. Print.

Pocock, Tom. Rider Haggard and the Lost Empire. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1993. 62-3, 65-6, 68, 71, 73, 84-5, 172, 178, 244. Print.

Whatmore, D.E.. H Rider Haggard: A Bibliography. Westport, CT: Meckler Publishing Co., 1987. F3, 5-7. Print.