Descrizione

13 vols., 8vo., First Edition thus, with engraved portrait frontispiece (in 'Life') and 14 engraved maps, (the majority folding and MANY COLOURED BY HAND IN OUTLINE), the maps generally lightly foxed but crisply folded, some mild and occasional offsetting; contemporary plum cloth, boards elaborately framed and blocked in blind, gilt backs, primrose endpapers, uncut, one volume LARGELY UNOPENED, two volumes expertly recased with original endpapers preserved, backs moderately and uniformly sunned (but all gilt wholly legible), fore-edges lightly spotted, a remarkably bright, crisp, clean extended set in largely unrestored publisher's binding. All volumes complete with half-titles; most volumes with publisher's catalogues (variously dated 1838-39) at end, confirming early issue; tenth volume with publisher's advance notice slip (Milman's History of Christianity and Life of Gibbon) mounted facing half-title; twelfth volume with separately printed errata slip mounted facing end of Contents. Maps and Catalogues as follows: Vol.I: 2 folding, 8pp. March 1838 ; Vol.II: 1 folding; Vol.III: 2 full-page, 12pp. May 1838; Vol. IV: 1 folding, 12pp. June 1838; Vol. V: 1 folding, 12pp. August 1838; Vol.VI: 1 folding, 4pp. n.d.; Vol. VII: 1 folding, 12pp. October 1838; Vol. VIII: 1 folding, 32pp. October 1838; Vol.IX: 1 folding, 6pp. December 1838; Vol. X: 1 folding, 32pp. December 1838; Vol. XI: I folding, 8pp. January 1839; Vol. XII: 1 folding, 8pp. January 1839). The portrait of Gibbon is by Scriven after Reynolds. A CRISP EXTENDED SET OF THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF MILMAN'S 'GIBBON' IN LARGELY UNRESTORED PERIOD CLOTH BINDING AND AS SUCH MOST UNUSUAL.