[Milton- First Bskerville Edition-EXTREMELY RARE, BOUND BY BASKERVILLE: ORIGINAL TWO-VOLUME BINDING] Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained
by Milton, John
- Used
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: John Baskerville, 1758. First edition. First edition. Two Volumes. An extremely scarce, original Baskerville binding, bound in his own workshop, with distinct features characteristic of BaskervilleÃs art and technique, especially the floral roll and his types stamped to spine. As well, the provenance of this book links it directly to Baskerville. This copy is Everard HomeÃs Copy (with his bookplate). Home was the brother-in-law of John Hunter (who was also his teacher), and Hunter was the brother of William Hunter whose Anatomy of the human gravid uterus was published by Baskerville in 1774. Hunter was also a subscriber of BaskervilleÃs Milton. It is likely this copy came from Hunter. We have verified through Aurelie Martin, the foremost scholar on Baskerville bindings, that this must indeed be a Baskerville binding. Martin states, ìBaskerville hired one or two binders around 1758 to bind some of his editions and produce a decorated paper. The majority of these bindings will have this distinctive decorated paper, but some of the very early Milton bindings do not; and they usually have this comb marbled paper [i.e. found our copy]. As well, the edges are usually sprinkled in blue on these few examples [which appears on our copy]. So your two-volume Milton comes from his workshop, as confirmed by the types used to title the spine of his books and other tools found on the spine (such as the little acorn and the triangular one in the angles of the compartment). Gaskell first noted that Baskerville used his own types to tool the titles on the spine of his bindings and this is confirmed on your copies. Finally, the endbands also correspond to those I have found so far (the color may vary of course, but they have the same number and type of threads). Attractively bound in early full polished calf with border gilt designs on all covers, gilt decorated panels on spine, with two morocco labels (one red, one black) with gilt lettering. The scarce first Baskerville edition. "Paradise Lost. A Poem in Twelve Books. The Author John Milton From the Text of Thomas Newton D.D. Birmingham," with lengthy preface and list of subscribers, 416pp; "Paradise Regain'd A Poem in Four Books To Which is Added Samson Agonistes: and Poems upon Several Occasions," also including "The Life of Milton" LXIX pp. and 390pp. All edges stippled in blue. A wonderful set, with some expert cover repair to spines; Vol. 2 with longitudinal split along spine, but repaired. Near fine internally. Everard Home's Copy, with his bookplate of knight's head affixed to both volumes. Home (1756-1832) was a well-known baronet and physician who is best remembered as the first to describe the fossil "Ichthyosaur." A great rarity.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Nudelman Rare Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 4228
- Title
- [Milton- First Bskerville Edition-EXTREMELY RARE, BOUND BY BASKERVILLE: ORIGINAL TWO-VOLUME BINDING] Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained
- Author
- Milton, John
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Publisher
- John Baskerville
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1758
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Nudelman Rare Books
7 day return guarantee for any reason, with full refund including shipping costs, if notification has been made and item has been posted back to us in 7 days after receipt.
About the Seller
Nudelman Rare Books
Biblio member since 2011
Seattle, Washington
About Nudelman Rare Books
Specializing in Fine Bindings By Noted Bookbinders; High Spots and Inscribed Copies of Important 19th-20th Century English and American Literature; Autograph Letters and Manuscripts; Fine Press Books; Unusual and Rare Children's and Illustrated; Art Nouveau; Pre-Raphaelite Poetry and Associations; Jugendstil, Wiener Werkstatte; 1890's.Long-standing rare book dealer established in 1979, in Seattle, Washington specializing in the highest quality fine and rare books, primarily from the 18th through 20th Centuries. We value your patronage and would love to have you join our mailing list where we offer illustrated catalogs twice a year by PDF (with copious photos of content). All books are guaranteed as described, and returnable within 7 days for any reason. By Appointment Only.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Marbled Paper
- Decorative colored paper that imitates marble with a veined, mottled, or swirling pattern. Commonly used as the end papers or...
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...