(ST6711) A COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUAL WORKS FROM THE ALDINE EDITION OF THE BRITISH POETS. PICKERING IMPRINTS, BINDINGS - HAYDAY.

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A COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUAL WORKS FROM THE ALDINE EDITION OF THE BRITISH POETS.

(London: William Pickering, various dates [see below]). 165 x 102 mm. (6 1/2 x 4"). 11 volumes representing seven different poets.

VERY FINE ORIGINAL DARK GREEN MOROCCO BY HAYDAY (stamp-signed on front pastedowns), covers with triple blind-ruled border, raised bands, gilt spine titling, all edges gilt. Except for the Falconer volume, each work with an engraved frontispiece portrait of the author. Half title present in each volume, anchor device on title in each. Keynes, pp. 37-38. ◆Trivial wear to some joints and extremities, spines just very slightly faded toward olive green, a few volumes with minor marks to covers or spine, most frontispieces lightly offset onto titles, but GENERALLY IN SUPERB CONDITION, the bindings still with their original brightness, and with virtually no signs of use internally.

In 1828 Pickering began to use the familiar anchor and dolphin device employed by the Aldus family of Venetian printers in the 16th century, and he had the same purpose behind his work as did his Aldine predecessors--to provide the public with well printed texts that were nevertheless obtainable even by a person of modest means. In 1830 Pickering began publishing his famous "Aldine Poets" series, a project that, with reissues, covered more than 20 years and involved the production of 53 volumes (not counting reprints), each carefully edited by one of a group of reputable scholars that included Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas, Alexander Dyce, and John Mitford. Here are the works of seven poets from that series--James Beattie, Samuel Butler (two volumes), William Cowper (three volumes), William Falconer, Thomas Parnell, James Thomson (two volumes), and Henry Kirke White--offered by Pickering as they were published at the time in cloth at 5 shillings or in morocco by Hayday for 10 shillings, 6 pence per volume. (The latter bindings are not often seen now in fine condition).
(ST6711)

Price: $275.00