English History – Rare (79 items)

Joseph Addison / Richard Steele - The Spectator [Rare Dublin Edition, 1778]

2. Addison, Joseph / Steele, Richard.

The Spectator [This is the Rare Dublin Edition with Bookseller-Label of T. Connolly (Dublin)]. [With Frontispiece – Illustrations by Pierre-Alexandre Aveline, Jacques Philippe de Bas and Francis Hayman].

8 Volumes (complete set). Dublin, Printed for W.Wilson, 1778. Small Octavo. Volume I: Frontispiece, VI, 325 pages plus 14 unnumbered pages of an Index (includes the notable essay “Inkle and Yarico” (Spectator 11) / Volume II: Frontispiece, IV, 336 pages plus 6 unnumbered pages of an Index / Volume III: Frontispiece, IV, 314 pages plus 10 unnumbered pages of an Index / Volume IV: Frontispiece, VI, 303 pages plus 9 unnumbered pages of an Index / Volume V: Frontispiece, III, 301 pages plus 11 unnumbered pages of an Index / Volume VI: IV, Frontispiece, 305 pages plus 19 unnumbered pages of an Index / Volume VII: Frontispiece, V, 333 pages plus 9 unnumbered pages of an Index / Volume VIII: Frontispiece, VIII, 300 pages plus 12 unnumbered pages of an Index [includes the Bookseller’s copyright-warning to the Reader that “no other Papers which have appeared under title of Spectator, since the closing of this eighth Volume, were written by any of those Gentlemen who had a hand in this or the former Volumes”. Hardcover / Original 18th century full leather. All Volumes firm and with some stronger rubbing (no broken spines or weak hinges). Binding of all eight Volumes look overall poor, with spinelabels missing or broken. Interior in excellent condition with some occasion faded dampstains but overall no browning and all the frontispieces in place. The Dublin Edition comes rarely to the market !

EUR 220,-- 

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Vere Foster, "Presentation Copy of "The Two Duchesses" with Autograph / Manuscript-Letter

32. Foster, Vere [Henry Louis / Lewis] / [Emily Albinia “Alba” Foster] / [Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire].

Amazing Vere Foster-Collection including Educational Materials and as a centerpiece the “Presentation Copy of “The Two Duchesses” with Autograph / Manuscript – Letter by Vere Foster to his niece, Emily Albinia “Alba” Foster. With a stunning, unpublished, two-page-letter, revealing several important details about the immediately favorable reviews and reception of the book [″in the Daily Telegraph”] and Vere Foster’s disdain about some criticism from one J.Donohue [which led to an alteration in the second edition of the book]. Vere Foster is also expecting a review to appear in the “Athenaeum” but reports “the Athenaeum has nothing yet”. Vere Foster apologizes to his niece for the delay in sending the book and explains that he had left 12 “parcels″£ with Blackie’s agent and gave instructions to send them but a few days later found they had been “untouched”. / The Two Duchesses – Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire – Family Correspondence of and Relating to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Elizabeth, Duchess of Devonshire, Earl of Bristol (Bishop of Derby), The Countess of Bristol, Lord and Lady Byron, The Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Augustus Foster Bart, and Others, 1777-1859. [See Full list of items which are part of this collection, on our website under the topic “Libraries & Collections”].

First Edition. London / Glasgow and Dublin, Blackie & Son Limited, 1898. Octavo (15 cm x 22 cm). Pagination: Frontispiece, IX, [3], 497 pages with 18 Illustrations (including frontispiece and one Vignette of the two Duchesses opposite page 1). Hardcover / Original, publisher’s green cloth with gilt lettering on spine. Very good condition with some minor signs of wear only. This is an astonishing find for the Vere Foster Research Community and the letter gives significant insight into the importance the publication had for him, its reception as seen by Vere Foster and it solves the riddle why an altertaion was necessary for the second edition [which Vere Foster explains in a brief note to the reader at the beginning of the second edition]. The heartfelt inscription to his niece Albinia Foster is also of great importance and to our knowledge the only presentation-copy of this book on the international market for the several decades we can look back at auction records.

EUR 9.500,-- 

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