The History of the World by Sir Walter Raleigh. London: H. Lownes, G. Lathum, and R. Young, 1628, folio.
-------------------
A handsome copy in contemporary boards, nicely rebacked, of Sir Walter Raleigh's History of the World. Despite the 1614 date on the engraved title page and to the foot of the spine in gilt, bibliographically the present copy is assignable to the 1628 fourth issue. There were some eleven editions printed during the 17th-century, following the first in 1614, and several more later on.
-------------------
Size: 222 x 332 mm (approx.)
Condition:
Contemporary full calf boards, rubbed and worn with some losses to the leather, sympathetically rebacked circa the late 19th century with the title and date in gilt. Some recornering, seemingly predating the rebacking. Shelf and edge wear. Externally handsome, shows well on the shelf. Boards both securely attached; the binding is secure. Some stains to leaf edges. Engraved title leaf extant but affixed to the front pastedown with losses to the lower outer corner. Hinges reinforced with fabric. Bookplate and ex-libris stamp to front blank from the Bradford Free Library, and a further stamp to A1. A1-3 (of the Preface) and the final leaf of the Contents (b8) reinforced with Kozo paper. 5D1-2 trimmed at the fore-edge without text loss. The preliminary matter (To the Reader leaf, A Chronological Table, and The Contents) all bound at the rear in this copy, but present. The section 'An Alphabeticall Table...', usually bound at the rear, precedes The Contents in the present copy, also extant, and includes the colophon confirming that this is the 1628 issue. The Preface is bound at the beginning of the work as issued. This copy is textually complete, though bound without the maps, as often.
