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JOHNSON’S MONUMENTAL WORK
“ A DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE”
Johnson, Samuel. A DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: In Which the Words are Deduced from their Originals, and Illustrated in their Different Significations by Examples from the Best Writers. A History of the Language and an English Grammar. London, Printed by W. Strahan For J.P. Knapton, T. and T. Longman, C. Hitch ad L. Hawes, A. Millar and R. & J. Dodsley, 1755. In Two volumes, Folio. (16 ½” X 10 ¼”). First state title pages in red and black, no pagination, text in double columns.
The first volume contains; The Preface, History of the English Language, The Grammar and The Letters A to K inclusive. The second volume contains L to Z.
Vol. I.
A-K[2]; a-d[2]; B-Z[2]; 2A-Z[2]; 3A-Z[2]; 4A-Z[2]; 5A-Z[2]; 6A-Z[2]; 7A-Z[2]; 8A-Z[2]; 9A-Z[2]; 10A-Z[2]; 11A-Z[2]; 12A-Z[2]; 13A-13B[2]—14Z
Quire 6A sprung, early repair to bottom corner of 11R[2],
Vol. II
15A-Z[2]; 16A-Z[2]; 17A-Z[2]; 18A-Z[2]; 19A-Z[2]; 20A-Z[2]; 21A-Z[2]; 22A-22F-22Z; 23A-Z[2]; 24A-Z[2]; 25A-Z[2]; 26A-Z[2]; 27A-E-28Z; 29A-Z[2]; 30A-Z[2]; 31A-C[2]
Early state of D19, finger smudges to outer margin of 15Y, 2 to 3 tiny[1mm] spots of foxing penetrating through to 20H[2]-L[2]; small chip and some soiling to bottom corner of 23Y.
Both volumes bound in contemporary calf, rebacked to style maintaining the original endpapers, raised bands ruled in gilt with black and dark green contrasting morocco labels gilt. Few corners worn, bookplates of Sir Richard Neave, (1731-1814) bart. Of Dagenhams.
This set was purchased from the legendary book department of Marshall Fields in Chicago during the 1950’s and has been maintained in its original purchased state by the present owner. A superb set, well taken care of with only the slightest of defects as noted above. Internally, this set is amazingly clean and is probably one of the nicest sets one could encounter.
$35,000
HOBBES’ TRANSLATION OF THUCYDIDES’
EIGHT BOOKES OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WARRE
[Hobbes, Thomas] EIGHT BOOKES OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WARRE written by Thucydides the sonne of olorvs, interpreted with faith and diligence immediately out of the Greeke by Thomas Hobbes, secretary to y late Earle of Devonshire. London, for Richard Mynne, 1634. First edition, 2nd issue, Pforzheimer 493; [According to Pforzheimer, the remainder copies of the first edition were sold to Richard Mynne who reissued them with a cancel engraved title with his imprint and dated 1634]. Folio in fours, bound in contemporary calf, very early rebacking to style, raised bands ruled in gilt, black morocco spine label gilt, marbled endpapers, front hinges repaired with red cloth tape, rear hinges repaired with marbled paper, corners worn and a few tiny spots along the edges worn, contains 3 maps and two plates as called for. plate at pg. 155 measuring approx. 7 ½” X 7 ½” cut just outside the plate marks, plate at pg. 215 measuring approx. 10 ¼” X 8” (top and bottom cut just above the plate marks) Folding map at page 1 detached and laid in measuring 16 ½” X 13 ½” cut without margins, double paged maps at pages 349 and 405 fine. A-[4]; a-c[4]; B-Z[4]; Aa-Zz[4]; Aaa-Yyy[4]; Zzz[5]. Unidentified early armorial bookplate, short biography on Hobbes written on verso of front free endpaper in an early hand, a news clipping from the Derbyshire Times mounted below and dated 1948 announcing a fund raising to preserve the Ault Hucknall Church where Hobbes was entombed because of the severe damage caused by the death watch beetle. A few marginal notes , underlining and astrological symbols in brown ink. purchased from the legendary book department of Marshall Fields in Chicago during the 1950’s and has been maintained in its original purchased state by the present owner.
In all, a very good copy of an uncommon and very desirable book. A remarkable work in which Hobbes was said to have devoted 27 years of his life to complete with accuracy. It is still considered the best work on politics that has ever been written.
$9000
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