The Natural History and Antiquities of the County of Surrey. Begun in the Year 1673, by John Aubrey, and Continued to the Present Time. Illustrated with Proper Sculptures. In Five Volumes. London: E. Curll, 1719.
A STUNNING SET IN CONTEMPORARY BINDINGS; A FASCINATING INSIGHT INTO SURREY IN THE LATE 17TH AND EARLY 18TH CENTURIES, BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED.
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"The value of Aubrey's work lies in his careful observation of the places he visited and in his diligent transcription of epitaphs, many of which were destroyed in the next century" (Currie & Lewis).
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Size: 125 x 200 mm (approx., each)
Condition:
[1ff., frontis, t.p., t.p., (aka A1 & A2), A3-A8, foldout map, pp.1-60, foldout view, pp.61-258, 6pp. (index)]; [307pp., i-viii]; [pp.1-152, plate, pp.153-368, i-viii]; [pp.1-64, foldout view, pp.65-134, foldout plate, pp.135-279, i-ix]; [pp.1-284, 8 plates, pp.285-414, v-vi]
Contemporary full calf, near uniform with slightly varying tooled labels. The set shows very attractively on the shelf with intricate gilt tooling to the spines which is particularly nice for the period in English bookbinding. Volumes 1-2 and 5 lacking one tooled label each. Bindings rubbed with minor losses. Joints rubbed, some cracked, with all boards attached. Top page edges uniformly dulled as typical, other edges very good. Shelf and edge wear with losses to corners as typical. Without any attached bookplates. Page blocks generally clean and free of foxing, though with frequently interesting marginalia throughout in a contemporary neat hand, none obscuring the legibility of text. Volume one lacks a1-c8 which is the account of the author's life and the introduction, else volume one is complete. The foldout to the verso of pp.64 in volume four is detached but present, also a small amount of loss to the head of the foldout plate to the verso of pp.134. The other volumes collate as complete.
[OCLC 557323777]; [Similar set with some volumes from the same year MMSID 995264573804341; ESTC T089094/5].
