Description

Hardcover, rebound in mid 19th century red half leather over pale pink linen covered boards. 520 pages. Top edge gilt. Portrait of Washington Irving on thin stock mounted to first blank page. New Edition (1820) in single volume format. Originally published in1808 this edition followed the third American edition which appeared in 1819, making it not only “new” but the first British appearance of Irving’s satirical novel on the history of New York and early enough to still be presented as written under Irving’s nom de plume Knickerbocker, later editions appearing under his own name. Previous owner’s stylized armorial book-plate inside front cover. Pages are clean and supple with remarkably little foxing albeit text block shows several horizontal draws, possibly the result of rebinding. Half-leather binding shows rubbing to joints and raised spine hubs and general light wear. A clean, tight, presentable specimen of this early parody by Washington Irving. BAL 10227. Very good.