Lot 101
101
GIBBON, Edward (1737-1794). The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1776-1788. 6 volumes, 4° (274 x 215 mm). Half-title, errata and the usual cancels and points in each volume. Vol. I with engraved frontispiece portrait of Gibbon after Joshua Reynolds, vol. II with folding maps of the Western Empire and Propontis, vol. III with folding map of the Eastern Empire. (Vol. VI errata bound out-of-sequence after the contents, occasional spotting, a few short tears.) Contemporary polished calf gilt, red morocco labels (spines scuffed and chipped at ends, joints starting and somewhat darkened, extremities rubbed). Provenance: Baronet T.D. Bland (Kippax Park bookplate) -- R.D. Steedman, bookseller (small label).
GIBBON, Edward (1737-1794). The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1776-1788. 6 volumes, 4° (274 x 215 mm). Half-title, errata and the usual cancels and points in each volume. Vol. I with engraved frontispiece portrait of Gibbon after Joshua Reynolds, vol. II with folding maps of the Western Empire and Propontis, vol. III with folding map of the Eastern Empire. (Vol. VI errata bound out-of-sequence after the contents, occasional spotting, a few short tears.) Contemporary polished calf gilt, red morocco labels (spines scuffed and chipped at ends, joints starting and somewhat darkened, extremities rubbed). Provenance: Baronet T.D. Bland (Kippax Park bookplate) -- R.D. Steedman, bookseller (small label).

Details
GIBBON, Edward (1737-1794). The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1776-1788. 6 volumes, 4° (274 x 215 mm). Half-title, errata and the usual cancels and points in each volume. Vol. I with engraved frontispiece portrait of Gibbon after Joshua Reynolds, vol. II with folding maps of the Western Empire and Propontis, vol. III with folding map of the Eastern Empire. (Vol. VI errata bound out-of-sequence after the contents, occasional spotting, a few short tears.) Contemporary polished calf gilt, red morocco labels (spines scuffed and chipped at ends, joints starting and somewhat darkened, extremities rubbed). Provenance: Baronet T.D. Bland (Kippax Park bookplate) -- R.D. Steedman, bookseller (small label).

SECOND EDITION OF VOLUME I, FIRST EDITION OF VOLUMES II-VI. Despite numerous later works devoted to the same subject, Gibbon's 'masterpiece of historical penetration and literary style' remains 'the only historical narrative prior to Macaulay which continues to be reprinted and actually read' (PMM). During the publication of the first edition, Strahan predicted the popularity of the work and doubled the print run from 500 to 1000 copies, entailing the resetting of sheets. Strahan's instincts proved correct, and the entire first thousand copies sold out in a fortnight. Grolier English, 58; Norton 20, 23, 29; PMM 222; Rothschild 942. (6)

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