The Compact Edition of the Dictionary of National Biography. Complete in Two Volumes, with Magnifying Glass, in Publisher’s Slipcase

Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney; et al.

Published by Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1975, Oxford, 1975

About this Item

A monumental scholarly achievement distilled into a single, usable format the Dictionary of National Biography transformed from an unwieldy Victorian publishing project into a practical reference tool for the modern historian. This compact Oxford edition represents the moment where scale met accessibility, preserving over half a century of biographical scholarship in a form designed for daily use.

Description;

A complete two volume set of the 1975 Compact Edition of the Dictionary of National Biography, published by Oxford University Press, here retained in its original slipcase and accompanied by the original magnifying glass.

The work reproduces the entirety of the DNB in micrographic format, allowing the vast original series to be condensed into two substantial volumes. The set includes:

Volume I: Abbadie O?Donnell
Volume II: O?Donnell Zuylestein, including Supplement and Twentieth Century DNB (1901 1960)

Both volumes are bound in original dark cloth with gilt lettering to the spine. The original slipcase remains present and structurally sound, with moderate external rubbing consistent with use. The magnifier essential for practical reading is housed in its original tray and remains in very good condition.

Internally, the volumes are clean, crisp, and highly legible under magnification. A well-preserved and complete working set.

Collation / Bibliography

Complete in 2 volumes.
Micrographically reproduced text of the full Dictionary of National Biography (originally published 1885?1900), including supplements and twentieth-century additions (to 1960).
Original publisher?s cloth, gilt.
Housed in original slipcase with fitted tray containing magnifying glass.

Why It Matters;

The Dictionary of National Biography is one of the foundational reference works of British historical scholarship. This 1975 compact edition is significant not for rarity, but for function it democratized access to a vast and otherwise impractical body of knowledge.

Complete sets with the original magnifier and slipcase are increasingly preferred, as the utility of the edition depends on these components. Without them, the work becomes decorative; with them, it becomes fully usable exactly as intended by the publisher.

Offered by Atlas Rare Books, specialists in rare and antiquarian books.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1776251047758

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Compact Edition of the Dictionary of National Biography. Complete in Two Volumes, with Magnifying Glass, in Publisher?s Slipcase
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1975, Oxford
• Publication Date: 1975
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Very Good