Lot Essay
Vathek was written in French and published in Lausanne and Paris in 1787. This is Henley's unauthorised translation which came out before the original text.
Details
[Beckford (William]; An Arabian Tale [The History of the Caliph Vathek], London, for J. Johnson, 1786, 8vo, first edition in English, woodcut illustrations on p. 316, with errata leaf Y8 (lacking a prelimary leaf, title restored at upper margin, a2 and a3 exchanged, B6 spotted and with corner restored), 19th-century blue calf, spine gilt (joints rubbed), g.e. [Rothschild 352; Chapman & Hodgkin 3 (A) (i)]