LOT #45136 |
Sold on Jun 27, 2024 for: Sign-in
or Join (free & quick)
John Milton. Poems of Mr. John Milton, both English and Latin, Compos'd at several times. London: Printed by Rut...
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Description
The very fine Phillipps-Robinson copy in original sheep binding
John Milton. Poems of Mr. John Milton, both
English and Latin, Compos'd at several times. London: Printed
by Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at the
signe of the Princes Arms in Pauls Church-yard,1645.2 parts in one volume, 8vo (154 x 94mm). Engraved frontispiece portrait of Milton by William Marshall. Contemporary sheep, sides ruled in blind and gilt; quarter morocco folding case.
FIRST COLLECTED EDITION OF MILTON'S POEMS, and the first to bear Milton's name on the title-page. This edition reprints "Comus", "Lycidas", and several shorter works and includes for the first time the majority of Milton's verse, including "L'Allegro" and "Il Penseroso." The only poems written by Milton up to that date not included are "On the death of a fair infant dying of a cough" and "At a vacation excercise in the Colledge." The second part collects Milton's verse written in Latin and is headed by a separate title-page.
Marshall's portrait, most likely the first published print of the author, was so unflattering that Milton insisted on the Greek inscription be added below, which translates in part, "...laugh at the awkward imitation of the stupid artist..." The imprint on the main title-page occurs with the variant readings "Pauls Church-yard" (as here) and "S. Pauls Church-yard." There is no evidence to support that these are separate issues, nor that there is any priority to their issue.
Pforzheimer notes the prevalence of closely trimmed copies: "Several copies are known in original calf or sheep, but even the largest is only about a sixteenth of an inch taller than the present [6 inches]." The present copy has ample margins, measuring 6 1/16 inches tall. A work seldom found in a contemporary binding.
Condition: Rebacked preserving portions of original spine; some wear to corners and edges. Lacking initial blank a1, as often; some very pale dampstaining to lower margins; tiny marginal tear on F1 of second part; occasional minor soiling or toning. Otherwise a very fine, crisp copy.
References: Grolier, Wither to Prior 572; Hayward 71; Pforzheimer 722; Wing M2160.
Provenance: Adam Sanders (early ownership inscriptions on front free endpaper, "E libris Adami Sanderi," and "Sanderi"); early purchase note "Bernard" on front free endpaper; Sir Thomas Phillips (shelf number "253" inside front cover board); part of the purchase by Phillip and Lionel Robinson in 1946, sold at Sotheby's, 30 June 1976, lot 4189, to Bernard Quartich, Ltd., for £3,400; purchased from Seven Gables Bookshop, Inc., New York, 1976. From the William A. Strutz Library.
View all of [The William A. Strutz Library ]
Auction Info
2024 June 27 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part I, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6295 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
June, 2024
27th
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 5
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 324
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% on the first $1,000,000 (minimum $49), plus 20% of any amount between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000, plus 15% of any amount over $5,000,000 per lot.
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms