[Rarebooks] FS: Rare complete file of "The Observator" a 17th c. London newspaper

[Kenneth Karmiole]

L'Estrange, Roger. THE OBSERVATOR, in Dialogue. London: Printed by J. Bennet for William Abington. 1684-1687 (i.e., April 13, 1681 - March 9, 1687 - see below). Folio. 3 volumes bound in 2. 
Volume 1: (18)pp. of preliminaries, plus 470 numbers of the newspaper, a double column sheet (2)pp. (note: 2 of the 470 numbers are (4)pp.). 
Volume 2:  (14)pp. of preliminaries plus 215 numbers.
Volume 3: (2),40,(4)pp. of preliminaries plus 246 numbers. 
A complete file of the 931 issues published. Bound at the end is added L'Estrange's 2pp. sheet, TWO CASES SUBMITTED TO CONSIDERATION... London: Printed for R. Sare. 1687. This is Wing L1320A. Two engraved portrait frontispieces of L'Estrange after G. Kneller. Cont. calf, gilt spines, morocco spine labels. Spines restored at head and foot, but quite a sound set. With the armorial bookplates of Lord Anundell of Wardour (over the bookplates of an earlier Lord Arundell). Contemporary ownership signature and shelf mark on titles of Volume 1 and 2 of Lord Arundell, presumably Henry, Third Lord Arundell (1606-1694).    $6,000.00 (trade discount allowed)
A very interesting copy of this rare and politically controversial newspaper (usually 3 or 4 numbers printed per week). This set appears to have belonged to the Third Lord Arundell, an important figure in the events with which THE OBSERVATOR deals. In 1678 Titus Oates and his associates announced that Arundell was a chief mover in the Popish plot against Charles II. He was wrongly imprisoned for 5 years. On June 1, 1685 his liberty was formally granted on the grounds that the witnesses against him had perjured themselves.
The three volumes were bound up and published, 1684-1687, with preliminaries (indices and prefaces) including a 40 page preface in Volume 3, entitled, "A Brief History of the Times" where L'Estrange finally exposed the false allegations of Titus Oates, but the actual dates of the numbers printed begins with April 13, 1681 to March 9, 1687 .

Kenneth Karmiole, Bookseller, Inc.
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