The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. With the Precedent Passages and Actions that Contributed Thereunto and the Happy End and Conclusion Thereof by the King's Blessed Restoration and Return Upon the 29th of May in the Year 1660. Written by the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Clarendon. Oxford, 1707.
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A magnificent set in folio format, beautifully bound in full panelled calf bindings with particularly excellent typography. A truly stunning set of Clarendon's important history of the English civil war.
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Size: 295 x 445 mm (approx., each)
Total thickness 180 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), frontis, t.p., 1ff., i-xxiii, half title, pp.3-557, (1)]; [(3), half title, 5ff., half title, pp.1-581, (1)]; [(2), half title, t.p., 9ff., half title, pp.1-603, 21pp. (index), (1)]
Uniform contemporary full calf bindings, Cambridge panelled, finely decorated in blind, with small repeating gilt motif in compartments of the spines between raised bands. Bindings rubbed, backstrips with some loss, mostly to the third volume. The third volume is more dulled than the rest to the spine. Some scuffs to all boards as typical, but remaining attractive. Joints rubbed, cracked in places or starting, but with all boards attached. Shelf and edge wear with minor losses at corners. A very attractive set on the shelf. Volumes two and three lacking their tooled morocco labels, volume one retaining approximately half of its label. Top page edges uniformly dulled, else edges are very good. Bindings are secure, and stand without shelf lean when placed together, but volume three has a shelf lean. No attached bookplates. Small pencil ownership inscription to ffep verso in volume one. Frontispiece in the first volume is backed onto a blank but appears to be the original frontispiece that has been cut and remounted, or this is as it was published. Small closed tear in the marginal space at the foot of the main title page leaf in volume one. Text block largely very clean with the odd spot of foxing affecting a few leaves only in each volume. Excellent paper quality with large type and wide margins with some beautiful engraved head and tail pieces and capitals. A few leaves dogeared in the second volume. Volumes two and three with some black margins in the upper marginal space in a few leaves, not affecting text. An excellent set.
