The Aldine Edition of the British Poets (53 Volumes)
London: William Pickering, 1831-53. Leather. 12 mo. Near Fine. Item #38774
53 volumes bearing Pickering device iv on each title-page, complete with tissue-guarded engraved portraits of each poet (except for Falcone - see below). Bound in an unsigned binding of full mustard-coloured calf with double roll-tooled gilt borders, 5 raised bands, ornate gilt-tooled compartments, gilt-stamped red leather spine labels, marbled endpapers that seem to extend flawlessly to all edges of the books. The Aldine Poets: 1) Mark Akenside, 1845. 2) James Beattie, 1853. 3) Robert Burns, 3 vols., 1839. 4) Samuel Butler, 2 vols., 1855. 5) Geoffrey Chaucer, 6 vols., 1852 (vol. 2 dated 1845). 6) Charles Churchill, 3 vols., 1844. 7) William Collins, 1853. 8) William Cowper, 3 vols., 1851, (vol. 3 dated 1843). 9) John Dryden, 5 vols., 1852. 10) William Falconer, 1836 (the only "Aldine Poet" volume to be published without a portrait). 11) Oliver Goldsmith, 1853. 12) Thomas Gray, 1853. 13) John Milton, 3 vols., 1852. 14) Thomas Parnell, 1852. 15) Alexander Pope, 3 vols., 1852. 16) Matthew Prior, 2 vols., 1835. 17) William Shakespeare, 1853. 18) Edmund Spenser, 5 vols., 1852. 19) Henry Howard Earl of Surrey, 1831. 20) Jonathan Swift, 3 vols., 1853. 21) James Thomson, 2 vols., 1847. 22) Edward Young, 2 vols., 1852. 23) Henry Kirke White, 1853. 24) Sir Thomas Wyatt, 1831. Spines gently faded, 2 volumes with uneven fading to rear covers, mild spotting to most covers probably due to the glue used in binding, a couple of volumes with very small abrasions primarily to fore-edge of lower covers. Interiors are fine, bright, crisp and clean, probably never read. Overall an extremely attractive set, quite handsome on the shelf. (Keynes p. 48).
Price (CAD): $12,500.00