 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Hard cover, 12mo, (5 1/4 x 7 5/8 inches) in a contemporary fine binding (not signed) of three-quarter crushed morocco over terracotta cloth-covered boards, the five raised bands of the spine and other edges banded by hot tool in blind, with the title and author is in gilt to the second and third compartments to the spine. Top edge gilt, others untrimmed, with cream laid paper paste downs and printed upon similar, heavy wove paper stock, the editions dated 1927-28, First Edition Thus. Various pages. A modern bookplate to the front pastedown of each volume. All type is black. CONDITION: Near Fine, showing virtually no wear. Missing one fold-out map from Vol. I "Robinson Crusoe," but has the one called for in Vol. III. Perhaps left out during the rebinding ? There are several volumes showing some foxing externally to the fore or bottom edge of the text block only; this very rarely intrudes upon the reading area, and very occasionally affects the prelims. There is minor polish offset to the ffeps. The bindings are firm, hinges in order, pages clean and unwritten in. CONTENTS: Each volume of the set contains a half title, limitation statement, and introductory bibliographical page with appropriate introductory editorial comments. The titles are: " The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" with one foldout-map to rear of Vol.III (3 volumes), 1927. "Moll Flanders," (2 vols.)1927. "The Fortunate Mistress" (2 vols.) 1927. "Colonel Jack." (2 vols.) 1927. "Captain Singleton," 1927. "The Shortest Way with the Dissenters," 1927. A Plan of the English Commerce," 1927. "Memoirs of a Cavalier," 1927, and finally, "A Journal of the Plague Year," 1928.**English Author Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) has been described as a "pamphleteer, novelist, merchant and spy, and "father of the English novel." **This issue constitutes a very early publication from the successors to the founder/publisher of The Shakespeare Head Press, A.H. Bullen, who died in 1927. Sir Basil Blackwell (1889-1984), son of an Oxford bookshop owner, was a pioneering publishing phenom who, according to the New York Times, would go on to found The Blackwell Group "comprised of more than 60 companies involved in printing, publishing, distributing and selling books and periodicals. These include more than 50 bookshops throughout Britain and Europe." (4/11/1984, Sec. B, p. 11.) His early days in the capacity of publishing, however, saw the removal of the Shakespeare Head's offices from Stratford-on-Avon to his native Oxford. The attention to production techniques used by the Shakespeare Head Press in has been said to be carrying on in the William Morris tradition of fine press revival. Takes 17 inches of shelf space. OCLC 735411. Watson 882. Provenance: Sir Alexander Stone, Glasgow banker and philanthropist. (16.3 lbs.)
Ref: SET 9137
$3150.00