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EXAMPLES-
THE AENEID is an epic poem written by Virgil about 20 BC. Published by the Easton Press in 1979 in Norwalk, CT. First Thus . Hardcover. Fine condition, no jacket, as issued. Quarto, 9 ¾” tall. Illustrated by Carlotta Petrina. Full dark brown leather with gilt ornaments on front & back cover, gilt title & ornaments to spine, with 4 raised bands, light brown ribbon page marker and light brown moire endpapers. Smyth sewn binding, all edges gilt, no markings or bookplates. Pages are bright and fresh, textblock is tight. This book is from the Easton Press’ “The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written” collection. A handsome book in Fine condition. Collector’s edition. Suitable as a gift.
THE DISPATCHES AND LETTERS OF VICE ADMIRAL LORD VISCOUNT NELSON – London: Henry Colburn, 1844. Hardcover. Very Good+/No Jacket, as issued. 8vo – over 7¾ – 9¾” tall. Volumes 1-6 of 7. Starts with his appointment as a lieutenant in 1777. The last letter of volume 6 is dated July 27th, 1805 – less than 3 months before Lord Nelson’s death. “The books document Nelson’s long and celebrated career in the Royal Navy. The letters of Lord Nelson (1758-1805) was assembled and edited by antiquarian, historian and former naval lieutenant Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas (1799-1848), using letters supplied to him by many of Nelson’s correspondents.” – Cambridge University Press. Fine bindings in lovely condition. Five raised bands to spine with gilt stamped title and compartments. Full dark green calf with gilt rules, blind stamped front & back covers, blind stamped dentelles. Marbled edges & endpapers. With portrait frontispieces to each volume, and fold-out battle maps or facsimiles of written letters. Text blocks tight, hinges sound. A very handsome set. 8¼” x 5¼” Light rubbing to corners. Penciled price to free front endpaper vol. 1. Foxing to frontispiece & title page opposite it on all volumes, but scant foxing to Textblock. Volume 1 has a few small tears to margins, and an old ink marking on p. 485 bottom margin. Other 5 volumes very clean, No bookplates. Embossed imprint of former owner on FFEP all 6 volumes. Better than Very Good.
A TALE OF A TUB with A FULL AND TRUE ACCOUNT FOUGHT LAST FRIDAY BETWEEN THE ANTIENT AND THE MODERN BOOKS IN ST. JAMES’S LIBRARY with A DISCOURSE CONCERNING THE MECHANICAL OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT IN A LETTER TO A FRIEND , A FRAGMENT by Jonathan Swift, published in 1711, size 5 ½”. 310 pages. Contains the advertisement “Treatises writ by the same author”. No plates, as issued.
A TALE OF A TUB is a satire on religion and a parody of contemporary writing on that topic. First published in 1704, it was the first major work by Jonathan Swift.
With laid-in bookplate of Holbrook Jackson. George Holbrook Jackson (1874-1948) was a British journalist, writer and publisher, and one of the leading bibliophiles of his time.
Full calf. Four raised bands to spine. Covers and spine blind stamped and ruled. Hinges are sound, binding and textblock are tight. Faint foxing throughout. Small pencil mark on front pastedown, and tiny ink letters to top of front pastedown. No markings anywhere in textblock. Spine head and tail rubbed. Corners rubbed. Overall in Very Good condition.