Description
The first edition, first issue of Life of Napoleon Bonaparte by William H. Ireland, complete in four volumes.
Octavo, [four volumes], xl, 477pp; xii, 556pp; xiv, 600pp; x, 542pp. Full red morocco, double ruled covers. Five raised bands, title in gilt on spine with decorative gilt compartments. All edges gilt, with gilt turn-ins. Marbled endpapers. Finely bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe of London, with the bindery imprint on the front endpaper in each volume. Solid text blocks, light wear along edges of bindings. Occasional foxing internally, primarily on illustrations.
Complete with twenty-seven fold-out plates by George Cruikshank. Twenty-four are fully hand-colored as called for in Tooley. Some color loss along creases of plates, otherwise vibrant. Some titles along the bottom edge of plates were clipped when uniformly bound. Volume I, page 225 with two-inch closed tear to plate. Volume I, page 389 with linen backing along creases of plate for support.
This is the first issue, with Volume I accredited to publisher John Fairburn, and the preface ending on Page xv, dated “22 October 1823”. Volumes II, III, and IV feature the 1828 engraved title pages by publisher John Cumberland.
(Cohn 435) (Prideaux 341) (Tooley 278)
A beautiful set.
This work was originally published in parts (Volumes I-III, 1823-1827) by John Fairburn. The fourth Volume (originally in 16 parts) was published by John Cumberland, who added in four engraved title pages, all dated 1828.Full Title: Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, Late Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine, Mediator of the Confederation of Switzerland. Edited by W.H. Ireland, Embellished with Accurate Views of His Battles, Engraved by G. Cruikshank from the original Designs of Vernet, Denon, executed at Paris, by Duplesis Berteaux.
