[Rarebooks] FS: "crack-brained scribbling bookseller"

[Clare Murphy]

DUNTON, JOHN, 1659-1733.  LIFE AND ERRORS OF JOHN DUNTON, CITIZEN OF 
LONDON: WITH THE LIVES AND CHARACTERS OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND 
CONTEMPORARY DIVINES, AND OTHER PERSONS OF LITERARY EMINENCE. TO 
WHICH ARE ADDED, DUNTON'S CONVERSATION IN IRELAND, SELECTIONS FROM 
HIS OTHER GENUINE WORKS; AND A FAITHFUL PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR, THE. 
London:  J. Nichols, Son and Bentley, 1818. Illustrated by an 
engraved frontispiece portrait in Vol. I. Second edition. 2 volumes. 
Early nineteenth century three quarter leather with marbled boards, 
raised bands. [(2)viii(2)(v)-xxxii, (ix)-413(1); (2)(413)-776 pgs] 
Very good. Two volumes bound together. X-lib. Old library bookplate 
(1875). Number on spine. Never circulated. Contents crisp and fine 
with no foxing. Binding is strong and tight. Dunton was an eccentric 
London bookseller who lived for a while in New England (he had a 
bookshop in Boston, where he met Cotton Mather and other famous 
Bostonians). His was the first of many published bookseller 
reminiscences. This one abounds with stories of his fellow 
booksellers and also drops names of the rich and famous among his 
acquaintance. According to a contemporary hand-written note tipped 
into the front of the book, D'Israili called Dunton a "crack-brained 
scribbling bookseller" . There is another note written directly onto 
the second free end paper, also in an early nineteenth century hand, 
commenting on the book. Sabin 21345.  $650.00

-- 


Clare Murphy
Payson Hall Books
50 Watertown St., Suite 202
Watertown, MA 02472
USA

(617) 924-8484

payson at oldbooks.com

http://www.oldbooks.com

7 day return with notice, if not as described. 5 day hold. We accept 
Paypal, money orders, cashier checks and personal checks from 
bookdealers and known customers.