The Works of Jonathan Swift

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Jonathan Swift,

The Works of Jonathan Swift

London, Printed for C. Bathurst, C. Davis, C. Hitch and L. Hawes, J. Hodges, R. and J. Dodsley, and W. Bowyer, MDCCLV. [1755]

The rare and highly desirable 14 volume large quarto edition of the complete works of Jonathan Swift, the grandest and most attractive of all editions of Swift, adorned with 29 full page engraved plates and all fourteen volumes bound uniformly in the original 18th century highly decorated full calf. The set is complete in all respects and quite difficult to find thus, particularly in uniform 18th century bindings.

$6,500.00

The rare and highly desirable 14 volume large quarto edition of the complete works of Jonathan Swift, the grandest and most attractive of all editions of Swift, adorned with 29 full page engraved plates and all fourteen volumes bound uniformly in the original 18th century highly decorated full calf. The set is complete in all respects and quite difficult to find thus, particularly in uniform 18th century bindings.

Enquiry

The rare and highly desirable 14 volume large quarto edition of the complete works of Jonathan Swift, the grandest and most attractive of all editions of Swift, adorned with 29 full page engraved plates and all fourteen volumes bound uniformly in the original 18th century highly decorated full calf.

The set is complete in all respects and quite difficult to find thus, particularly in uniform 18th century bindings.

The volume(s) measure about 28.3 cm. by 22.2 cm. by 3 - 5.2 cm.

Each leaf measures about 272 mm. by 215 mm.

The full title of the first volume reads as follows:

“The Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. / Dean of St. Patrick’s, Dublin. / Accurately revised In Six Volumes, Adorned with Copper-Plates; / With Some Account of the Author’s Life, and Notes Historical and Explanatory, By John Hawkesworth. / London, / Printed for C. Bathurst, C. Davis, C. Hitch and L. Hawes, J. Hodges, R. and J. Dodsley, and W. Bowyer, MDCCLV. [1755]

The full title of the first volume of letters reads as follows:

“Letters, / Written By The Late / Jonathan Swift, D.D. / Dean Of St. Patrick’s, Dublin; / And / Several Of His Friends. / From the Year 1703 To 1740. / Published From The Originals; / With / Notes Explanatory And Historical, / By John Hawkesworth, L.L.D. / Volume I. / London: Printed for R. Davis, in Piccadilly; T. Davies, in Russel-Street, Covent-Garden; L. Davis and C. Reymers, in Holborn; and J. Dodsley, in Pall-Mall, MDCCLXVI. [1766]

Volume 14 contains further prose works and a full commentary on all of Swift’s works piece by piece. It is therefore an invaluable resource. The full title of volume 14, published in 1779, reads as follows:

A Supplement to Dr. Swift’s Works, Being the Fourteenth in the Collection: Containing Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, By the Dean; Dr. Delany, Dr. Sheridan, Mrs. Johnson, and Others, his Intimate Friends. With Explanatory Notes on all the Former Volumes, and an Index, by the Editor. London: Printed for J. Nichols: And sold by H. Payne, in Pall Mall; and N. Conant, in Fleet-Street, MDCCLXXIX. [1779]

The 14 volumes are complete in all respects and comprise the following numbers of pages respectively, plus titles, preliminaries, addenda and 29 plates:

Volume   Page Count      Year

Vol 1, Part 1: 184                    1755

Vol 1, Part 2: 286

Vol 2, Part 1: 231                    1755

Vol 2, Part 2: 182

Vol 3, Part 1: 191                    1755

Vol 3, Part 2: 253

Vol 4, Part 1: 318                    1755

Vol 4, Part 2: 237

Vol 5, Part 1: 258                    1755

Vol 5, Part 2: 232

Vol 6, Part 1: 210                    1755

Vol 6, Part 2: 218

Vol 7, Part 1: 230                    1764

Vol 7, Part 2: 221                    1763

Vol 8, Part 1: 278                    1765

Vol 8, Part 2: 279

Vol 9, Part 1: 213                    1775

Vol 9, Part 2: 314

Vol 10, Letters, vol 1: 360      1766

Vol 11, Letters, vol 2: 254      1766

Vol 12, Letters, vol 3: 295      1768

Vol 13: Letters, vol 4: 320.     1768

Vol 14: Supplement: 800        1779

Volumes all collate complete, with all preliminaries, end-sheets, etc.

This complete 14-volume set is rare on the market. When the set is encountered at all, generally only the first 6 volumes are present. Only very rarely are all 14 volumes presented together, and then still more infrequently in a genuine 18th century fine binding. Volume 14 is scarce. ESTC list Vol 14 as being in only 9 institutions worldwide and is rarely found in trade.

 

The volumes are in very good plus condition externally and internally, with generally clean pages, clear print and ample margins throughout. The leaves are mildly toned on the edges and remain white and supple. A few minor stains and marks. The plates all strong impressions. Many plates retain the original tissue guards. Little off-setting.

Each volume measures about 28.3 cm by 22.2 cm by 3 – 5.2 cm.  Each leaf measures about 272 mm by 215 mm.

The bindings are in very good plus condition, with the overall set presenting very well. Bound in full gilt ruled calf. The spines divided into six compartments richly decorated in gilt, with five raised bands.  A red lettering piece in the second compartment from the top with a green Vol. lettering piece below. Each board is adorned with a gilt border and gilt turn-ins (dentelles). The edges of the boards are decorated in gilt; the original hand-marbled endpapers have been retained in all 14 volumes. Minor scuffing with some hinges going, but generally very good. Evidence of past conservation work on some of the bindings, usually restoring spine ends. All 14 book blocks are strong and all hinges are holding firmly by the cords. in their entirety.

Please take the time necessary to review the slideshow of 373 photographs  on our website in order to gain a better understanding of the content and condition of the volumes. The set may be referenced as Teerink 87 and as ESTC system number 006424468.

Due to the weight of the set orders will need to be individually quoted for shipping.

In all, this is a very rare opportunity to acquire the finest edition of the works of Jonathan Swift, published from 1755 through 1779, in fourteen quarto volumes, adorned with 29 full-page engraved plates depicting scenes from Swift’s works, including all of Swift’s most famous works, including ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ and ‘A Tale of a Tub,’ as well as Swift’s political works, his sermons, his poetry and his complete correspondence, bound in the original highly decorated 18th century full calf.

Jonathan Swift stands amongst the very greatest figures in the annals of English literature. He was the greatest of the 18th century wits and the greatest of its satirists in prose. All of Jonathan Swift’s greatest and most famous works are present here, including ‘Gulliver’s Travels,’ ‘A Tale of a Tub,’ ‘The Battle of the Books,’ The ‘Drapier Letters,’ ‘A Modest Proposal,’ several hundred of Swift’s inimitable poems, and more than 600 letters between Swift, Pope, Gay, Sterne, and numerous others.

 

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