DON SEBASTIAN, KING OF PORTUGAL
by DRYDEN, JOHN
- Used
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
McMinnville, Oregon, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Printed for Jo. Hindmarsh, 1690. FIRST EDITION. 217 x 170 mm. (8 1/2 x 6 3/4"). 8 p.l., 87, 96-132, [4] pp. (complete).
Very fine dark green morocco by Lortic (stamped in gilt on front turn-in), covers with gilt coat of arms of the Comte de Penha Longa (with the motto 'Superabo'), raised bands, gilt titling, thick gilt turn-ins with multiple rules and decorative rolls, all edges gilt. Front pastedown with the book label of Marion C. Walker; verso of title and one other leaf with small ink stamp of the Selbourne Library; a couple of marginal pencil notations. Macdonald 89a; ESTC R16736; Pforzheimer 322. ◆Probably washed at the time of binding, faint browning and vague mottling due to paper quality, otherwise an especially fine copy, the text entirely clean, and the lustrous binding in virtually perfection condition.
Esteemed by the Oxford Companion as "Dryden's most complex dramatic treatment of a number of important political, sexual, and religious themes," this tragicomedy involves various captures, reprieves, deaths, and, most notably, a renouncement of marriage vows at the end when the title character and his wife discover that their wedlock has been incestuous. It is of political pertinence that this was the author's first play to be written and staged after the Glorious Revolution (1688-89). As a Catholic convert, Dryden refused to pledge allegiance to the newly crowned Protestant William and Mary, and paid dearly for it--he was subsequently relieved of all appointments, including the title of poet laurate. "Don Sebastian" certainly ranks as one of Dryden's longest plays, but was successful in its day as "a powerful drama whose themes of friendship, loyalty, true kingship, and love thwarted by destiny carried contemporary resonances." (DNB) This is an especially nice copy, offered in an appealing binding. It is no surprise then that it once belonged to Hugh Selbourne (1906-73) was a respected Manchester physician and a passionate bibliophile with a notable library strong in the sciences. He was the owner of virtually all of Robert Boyle's works, and his care in choosing copies is reflected in the fact that his first printing of "The Sceptical Chymist" sold at Bonham's in 2015 for a remarkable £362,500..
Very fine dark green morocco by Lortic (stamped in gilt on front turn-in), covers with gilt coat of arms of the Comte de Penha Longa (with the motto 'Superabo'), raised bands, gilt titling, thick gilt turn-ins with multiple rules and decorative rolls, all edges gilt. Front pastedown with the book label of Marion C. Walker; verso of title and one other leaf with small ink stamp of the Selbourne Library; a couple of marginal pencil notations. Macdonald 89a; ESTC R16736; Pforzheimer 322. ◆Probably washed at the time of binding, faint browning and vague mottling due to paper quality, otherwise an especially fine copy, the text entirely clean, and the lustrous binding in virtually perfection condition.
Esteemed by the Oxford Companion as "Dryden's most complex dramatic treatment of a number of important political, sexual, and religious themes," this tragicomedy involves various captures, reprieves, deaths, and, most notably, a renouncement of marriage vows at the end when the title character and his wife discover that their wedlock has been incestuous. It is of political pertinence that this was the author's first play to be written and staged after the Glorious Revolution (1688-89). As a Catholic convert, Dryden refused to pledge allegiance to the newly crowned Protestant William and Mary, and paid dearly for it--he was subsequently relieved of all appointments, including the title of poet laurate. "Don Sebastian" certainly ranks as one of Dryden's longest plays, but was successful in its day as "a powerful drama whose themes of friendship, loyalty, true kingship, and love thwarted by destiny carried contemporary resonances." (DNB) This is an especially nice copy, offered in an appealing binding. It is no surprise then that it once belonged to Hugh Selbourne (1906-73) was a respected Manchester physician and a passionate bibliophile with a notable library strong in the sciences. He was the owner of virtually all of Robert Boyle's works, and his care in choosing copies is reflected in the fact that his first printing of "The Sceptical Chymist" sold at Bonham's in 2015 for a remarkable £362,500..
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Details
- Bookseller
- Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- ST12901c
- Title
- DON SEBASTIAN, KING OF PORTUGAL
- Author
- DRYDEN, JOHN
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- FIRST EDITION
- Publisher
- Printed for Jo. Hindmarsh
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1690
Terms of Sale
Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts
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About the Seller
Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts
Biblio member since 2006
McMinnville, Oregon
About Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts
Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books an Manuscripts was established in 1978 on a ping pong table in a basement in Kalamazoo, Michigan. From the beginning, its founder was willing to sell a range of material, but over the years, the business has gravitated toward historical artifacts that are physically attractive in some way--illuminated material, fine bindings, books printed on vellum, fore-edge paintings, beautiful typography and paper, impressive illustration. Today, the company still sells a wide range of things, from (scruffy) ninth century leaves to biblical material from all periods to Wing and STC imprints to modern private press books to artists' bindings. While we are forgiving about condition when something is of considerable rarity, we always try to obtain the most attractive copies possible of whatever we offer for sale.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Raised Band(s)
- Raised bands refer to the ridges that protrude slightly from the spine on leather bound books. The bands are created in 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...
- 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...
- 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...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- 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...