[Rarebooks] fa: LORD BYRON - THE BRIDE OF ABYDOS 1813 First Edition - FRANCIS RANDOLPH'S COPY

[Ardwight Chamberlain]

Listed now, auction ending Sunday, May 15. More details and images can be found at the URL below or by searching for the seller name arch_in_la. 

http://tinyurl.com/j635f58

Thanks again,
Ardwight Chamberlain

George Gordon, Lord Byron: The Bride of Abydos. A Turkish Tale. London: Printed by T. Davison, Whitefriars, for John Murray, Albemarle-street, 1813. FIRST EDITION, 8vo, in original publisher's blue-green drab wraps, housed in a blue oilcloth chemise and slipcase, the latter with a dark green morocco spine with raised bands and gilt-tooled titles; [4], 72, [4] pp. (four pages of publisher's adverts at the end). Randolph p. 30; Wise I, p.87

Francis Lewis Randolph's copy, with his bookplate and label on the inner cover of the chemise. Randolph (1951-1971) was one of the two foremost bibliographers of Lord Byron (the one who wasn't also a notorious forger). He established the Byron Society of America and published its Journal, and his Studies for a Byron Bibliography is generally considered the most complete and trustworthy survey of the poet's publishing history. This copy conforms with Randolph's second issue of the first edition, with 22 lines on page 47 and with the eighth line on page 60 numbered 720. Interestingly, Randolph's bibliography makes no mention of the two leaves (four pages) of publisher's advertisements at the rear.

Original wraps a little rubbed and soiled, some chipping to the spine but the binding is holding; leaves with some light creasing and fingering, a few small spots and short closed tears, else a clean, sound, unsophisticated copy with an impeccable provenance, handsomely housed in a custom chemise and 1/4 morocco slipcase.