Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect by Burns Robert, First Edition (10 results)

First Edinburgh Edition. 210 x 123 mm. (8 1/4 x 4 3/4"). xlviii, 3[9]-68 pp. Without the half title but with the list of subscribers. ELEGANT EMERALD GREEN CRUSHED MOROCCO, GILT AND ONLAID, BY SANGORSKI & SUTCLIFFE (stamp-signed on rear doublure), covers framed by floral chain roll between two sets of gilt fillets, central panel with lobed fillet frame, oblique thistle tools at corners, upper cover with central medallion of lavender morocco with Burns' monogram in gilt, this surrounded by a wreath of gilt thistles with onlaid lavender morocco blooms, raised bands, spine compartments with French fillet frame, triad of onlaid purple morocco thistle blossoms at center, leafy fronds at corners, gilt lettering, RUSSET BROWN MOROCCO DOUBLURES framed by green morocco with ribbon roll border and quotes from "To a Mouse" and "Auld Lang Syne" lettered in gothic majuscules, at center of front doublure AN EXTREMELY FINE OVAL MINIATURE PAINTED ON IVORINE AND INSET UNDER GLASS IN A RECESSED COMPARTMENT, THIS SURROUNDED BY A LAUREL WREATH SET WITH TWO YELLOW TOPAZ AND TWO AMETHYSTS, apricot moiré silk free endleaves, all edges gilt. In a later very fine green morocco-backed clamshell box by Zaehnsdorf. With frontispiece portrait engraved aby John Beugo after a portrait painted for this edition by Alexander Nasmyth, with tissue guard. Verso of front free endpaper with morocco bookplate of Paul Edward Chevalier. Gibson, p. 5; Rothschild 556. â Text lightly washed and pressed (in keeping with the bibliophilic fashion at the time of binding), but the leaves still fresh as well as remarkably clean; A FINE COPY IN A GLITTERING BINDING WITH NO SIGNS OF WEAR. This is an exquisitely bound copy of the second printing (after the extremely rare Kilmarnock first edition of 1786) of one of the most famous poetic publications in history. Burns issued the poems at the age of 27 in order to raise passage money for a voyage to Jamaica, where he had been offered an agricultural post on a plantation. At a time when his contemporaries were searching for the "natural bard" and, in the process, had unearthed poetical threshers, poetical milk maidens, poetical cobblers, and more, the charming plowman Burns delivered his simple and beautiful lyrics with most propitious timing. He found himself famous almost at once, and his fame has not faltered over time, even though, after the appearance of the present work, he did little during the rest of his life except write songs and drink. The so-called "Cosway" binding, featuring handsome morocco inset with one or more painted miniatures, apparently originated with the London bookselling firm of Henry Sotheran about 1909. It was in that year that G. C. Williamson's book entitled "Richard Cosway" (dealing with the British miniature painter of that name, 1742-1821) was remaindered by Sotheran and presumably given this special decorative treatment to encourage sales. The name "Cosway" was then used to describe any book so treated, whoever its author. Although the artist of our miniature is unidentified, the work here is remarkably well done and clearly inspired by the engraved portrait of Burns in the book. The quality of the painting suggests that it could possibly have been done by Caroline Billin Currie, best known for her role in producing Cosway bindings of the sort seen here. Collaborating mostly with Riviere, she produced about 1,000 such bindings by the time she died in 1940. The present example is the work of Riviere's great rival. Francis Sangorski and George Sutcliffe trained with Douglas Cockerell before founding their own bindery in 1901. They continued in a successful partnership until 1912, when Francis drowned. Despite this loss, the firm grew and prospered, employing a staff of 80 by the mid-1920s and becoming perhaps the most successful English bindery of the 20th century. Though our binding dates from the first quarter of the 20th century, its extraordinarily fine condition could easily lead one to believe that it is brand new. It should be no surprise that this beautiful volume has an illustrious provenance: it comes from the collection of 20th century English bindings put together by Paul Chevalier, whose library of beautiful volumes was uniformly characterized by outstanding workmanship and superb condition. The sale of his books at Christie's in 1990 represented one of the best collections of British bindings brought to auction in the past half century (this was lot #81, which sold for $3,300 all in).

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. First Edinburgh edition, second overall; "Boxburgh" error on page xxxvii, the addenda to the subscription list on page xlvi, and the "stinking" error on page 263. Rebound in mottled calf; 2 lines of gilt ruling to the boards, title label in the second compartment on the spine, Greek key gilt design with thistles in the compartments, date of 1787 at the foot. Cover shows minor wear and rubbing, joints starting, gilt dentelle turn-ins. All edges gilt. Pages are lightly tanned with minor scattered foxing, slight trimming especially to the top edges. A Fine copy of the book which changed the fortunes of Robert Burns in an elegant binding.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 8vo. A very fine copy in a signed Riviere of London Full Crushed levant navy blue morocco binding, superb, gilt fillets, raised bands sharp with dentelles and marbled endsheets, frontis portrait is fine and the text block clean and crisp, rare thus a beautifully preserved copy of the 1st Edinburgh Edition of Burn's Poems the first public edition after the rare Kilmarnock edition of 1786, now neigh impossible to locate, so rare. Creech was the printer and Burns was his own editor and publisher. Contains all 3 First issue points thus 1st, 1st issue thus. will send photos on request. Signed by Binder.

3rd [1st London] edition. 8vo. With the half-title. Contemporary half calf and marbled boards, smooth spine, ruled in gilt and without a label. London: Printed for A. Strahan et al. Some slight foxing to the first few leaves, expertly repaired closed tear to the fore-edge of I4. Edges a little rubbed and boards faded. Paper otherwise clean and crisp, a good copy.

FIRST LONDON EDITION, 8vo, pp. xlviii, [13]-372 (as called for) + frontispiece. Gatherings A and M misfolded with leaves out of order. Contemporary half calf, marbled boards, spine divided by gilt rules, 2nd compartment lettered direct in gilt, edges sprinkled blue. Some spotting, particularly to frontispiece. Rubbed, boards rather stained, wear to extremities. Pencil ownership inscription of William St Clair to pastedown dated 1986. The first London printing of one of the landmarks of Scottish literature, preceded only by the Kilmarnock first edition, the Edinburgh second edition and an Irish piracy. This then represents the first time Burns? work was printed in England, and the lengthy subscribers? list testifies to its market there. ESTC T91546; Lamont 5.

240pp. Reduced facsimile of the first edition, which had been printed in Kilmarnock by John Wilson in 1786. Bound in wrappers, and held in a quite monumental covered in red morocco and gilt-tooled and -titled, with matching chemise. Mild soiling, else fine. (Garbett, p. 27; Spielmann 69). (1 3/16 by 7/8; 30x20mm).

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. viii, 240 printed pages on grey paper (some mild age-toning and some marks on text-block). Bryce, Mite Series & Bryce, Midget Books. Facsimile of 1796 Kilmarnock edition. Illustrations. 19 x 28mm. Original printed grey wrappers, reproducing title page of rare 1796 first edition, spine blank (mild age-toning). This printed binding pre-dates the later red or blue hardback bindings. Spielmann categorises this edition as "rare". Bondy, 113. Garbett, 27. Houghton, 108. Spielmann, 69. Welsh, 1535. WorldCat locates just two copies that are both in USA and one of those is described with the later hardback binding.

Softcover. Condition: Good +. viii, [1], 10-240 p. 23 cm. Grey paper covers with small tears to edges and spine. Facsimile edition of The Kilmarnock Burns first printed by John Wilson in 1786.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. First Edition This Publisher. Softcover bound in bluish green paper wrappers with two small tears along the front hinge. Appears never to have been read. Facsimile of the 1786 Kilmarnock edition. Book.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. (Ref.BBB6 ) Light blue boards with cream parchment spine and black spine titles. Darkening to spine with some rubbing and wear to edges, head and heel of spine. One or two chips to spine edges. Darkening to spine overlap at front and rear boards. Greyed top edge and rough cut foredge. Yellowed endpapers. A few small foxes to prelims and pages throughout. Contents otherwise good with no other marks. Many pages still uncut.