[Rarebooks] FS: Stedman's Narrative Against the Revolted Negroes, 1796, with engravings by William Blake

[charles agvent]

STEDMAN, J[OHN] G[ABRIEL]. NARRATIVE, OF A FIVE YEARS' EXPEDITION, 
AGAINST THE REVOLTED NEGROES OF SURINAM ... ON THE WILD COAST OF SOUTH 
AMERICA.... London: J. Johnson & J. Edwards 1796. First Edition. Two 
quarto (8-1/4" x 1o-1/2") volumes bound in full modern calf with five 
raised bands, gilt decorations on the spine, and gilt-lettered red 
morocco spine labels. A graphic account of the slave rebellion in 
Dutch Guiana, 1772-1777, illustrated with 81 engravings after drawings 
by the author by William Blake (13 with an additional 3 attributed to 
him), Bartolozzi, Benedetti, Barlow, and others. Sabin (91075) called 
this "one of the richest contemporary accounts of a plantation society 
in the Americas." According to the DNB, Stedman's narrative is "one of 
the most vivid indictments of slavery that have been penned." Stedman 
also depicts the social and natural history of the area in detail, and 
many of the engravings illuminate his writings on these subjects. 
Blake's work, among the finest that he did for hire, are primarily 
powerful portraits of slaves. Bookplate of Henry L. Ferguson on both 
front pastedowns. Text quite clean with most of the engravings showing 
a little browning or foxing with a dampstain in the upper corner of 
some not having an effect on the images. One of the minor plates, that 
of a butterfly, in expert facsimile. Contents Very Good in a Fine 
binding.    $4500

-- 
All books subject to prior sale.  Payment with order; institutions may 
be billed. Postage additional: $15.  Overseas postage billed at 
approximate cost.  Pennsylvania residents must add 6% sales tax. 
Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover accepted.  We are also 
open to reasonable payment terms.  A book may be returned within 7 
days of receipt for any reason provided it is in the same condition as 
sent and prior notice is given.  Please insure returns for their full 
value.  We carry a select and diverse stock with major specialties 
including Modern and 19th Century Literary First Editions, Signed 
Books & Autographs, and Limited Editions Club books.  We are proud to 
be members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America 
(ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) 
as well as the International Autograph Dealers Alliance (IADA), the 
Manuscript Society, and the Universal Autograph Collectors Club 
(UACC).  Please feel free to contact us with any wants or offerings. 
Thank you.

CHARLES AGVENT
291 Linden Road
Mertztown, PA 19539-8750
610-682-4750; FAX: 610-682-4620
agvent at erols.com
Visit our home page: http://www.erols.com/agvent