Paradise Lost . A Poem in Twelve Books. The Author John Milton From the Text of Thomas Newton. Birmingham: John Baskerville, 1759. [Together with] Paradise Regain'd. A Poem in Four Books. To Which is Added Samson Agonistes: and Poems upon Several Occasions. Birmingham: John Baskerville, 1759, 4to.
JOHN BASKERVILLE'S CELEBRATED PRINTING OF JOHN MILTON'S PARADISE LOST AND OTHER WORKS IN CONTEMPORARY BINDINGS, HOUSED IN A BESPOKE CLAMSHELL CASE.
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This celebrated quarto edition of John Milton's works was printed by one of the most important printers, John Baskerville. It is a highly desirable edition here housed in a bespoke slipcase. It is very difficult to find this edition in contemporary bindings and is usually rebound from the 19th century onwards.
We find some sales records of this edition, for example a near contemporary bound example at Christie's 23rd November 1998 realising £1,955 (GBP), and another in notably less elaborate (than our copy) contemporary bindings at Sotheby's December 10th 2018 lot 78 realising £1,250 (GBP).
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Size: 183 x 243 mm (approx., each)
Condition:
[(5ff), lxxii, 416pp]; [390pp, ii]
Contemporary full calf bindings retaining three of the four original tooled morocco labels including both title labels. Gilt tooling to compartments between raised bands to both spines with some loss. Spines rubbed with minor loss to leather, notably at the foot of the second volume. Joints split with front board of the first volume fragile but with other boards securely attached. Boards rubbed with minor discolouration and loss of gilt borders as typical with wear to corners. Shelf and edge wear. Very slight shelf lean but remains vertically stable. Bookplate to front pastedowns with an early very neat ink ownership inscription of 'T.H. Call, Magd Coll'. Endpapers lightly foxed as typical else generally clean throughout the text blocks, foxing heavier to the last few leaves in the first volume. Table of contents in the second volume strangely bound at the rear instead of prior to the text thus serving as an index, else both volumes collate as complete including the occasionally lacking Life of John Milton at the front of the first volume.
Case slightly rubbed with the odd small mark but generally near fine.
[Gaskell 6 & 7].
