BOSWELL (JAMES): THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, London, by Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1791, 2 vols., 4to, FIRST EDITION, vol. I 2M4 and 2NI are cancels, vol. II E3, 2O4, 2Z1 and 3E2 are cancels, 2Q3 is uncancelled (vol. II lacking A1, blank), engraved portrait of Johnson after Reynolds and two plates (library accession no. stamped on verso of titles and at lower margin of E2 of each vol., b3 in vol. I pulled, several preliminaries in vol. II also pulled, occasional light spotting), contemporary calf, gilt, sides with roll-tool border of coronet and crossed sceptres and central lozenge incorporating the same motif, spines with coronet and flower-head ornaments in 3 compartments and titling on modern morocco labels in 2, slightly raised bands (upper joints cracked, inner hinges repaired, adhesive tape at base of spines). [Rothschild 464] (2)

Details

BOSWELL (JAMES): THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, London, by Henry Baldwin for Charles Dilly, 1791, 2 vols., 4to, FIRST EDITION, vol. I 2M4 and 2NI are cancels, vol. II E3, 2O4, 2Z1 and 3E2 are cancels, 2Q3 is uncancelled (vol. II lacking A1, blank), engraved portrait of Johnson after Reynolds and two plates (library accession no. stamped on verso of titles and at lower margin of E2 of each vol., b3 in vol. I pulled, several preliminaries in vol. II also pulled, occasional light spotting), contemporary calf, gilt, sides with roll-tool border of coronet and crossed sceptres and central lozenge incorporating the same motif, spines with coronet and flower-head ornaments in 3 compartments and titling on modern morocco labels in 2, slightly raised bands (upper joints cracked, inner hinges repaired, adhesive tape at base of spines). [Rothschild 464] (2)

Lot Essay

Provenance: Arthur Young, with bookplate; Thomas Philip Earl de Grey, of Wrest Park, with bookplate.

1750 copies of the first edition were printed and sold at 2 guineas. This is an attractive copy with wide margins (see illustration in text and on front cover).

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