[Rarebooks] fa: LIFE OF LORENZO DE' MEDICI - William Roscoe - 2 vols./Engravings 1796

[ArCh]

Auction ends Sunday, April 16. Images and more details can be found at the URL below or by searching for the seller name arch_in_la. 

https://tinyurl.com/39s48v7h

Thanks again,
Ardwight Chamberlain
Ann Arbor, MI, USA

William Roscoe: The Life of Lorenzo de' Medici. The second edition, corrected. London: Printed for or A. Strahan; T. Cadell jun. and W. Davies (successors to Mr. Cadell); and J. Edwards in Pall Mall, 1796. Two volumes, 4to (27 cm), in early/period full tree calf; [4], xxvi, [2], 320, 136 p.; [4], 312, 48, 111, [1], 11, [1] p.; with the half-title pages, a portrait frontispiece, and engraved vignettes. ESTC T110926.

Bindings a bit rough, but the contents very good. Joints split with one board detached and two others held by the cords, spines sunned and rubbed,  edge-wear and a few scuffs; but the boards are still very attractive and well worthy of repair or rebacking. Internally, there's some offsetting to the title-page of vol. I, spotting to the title-page of vol. II, occasional small spots and light offsetting elsewhere, closed tear to the bottom margin of one leaf (vol. II, YY1), otherwise the contents are very clean and sound. Front paste-downs with the engraved armorial bookplate of Sir John Eden, Bt. (1740-1812).

A stated second edition, but the first London "trade" edition of Roscoe's magnum opus, which had appeared previously only in a privately printed provincial edition. "The idea of writing the life of Lorenzo de' Medici, his principal work, had occurred to Roscoe at an early age, and in 1790 his friend William Clarke consulted on his behalf many manuscripts and books in the libraries of Florence. In 1793 he began to print the 'Lorenzo' at his own expense, at the press of John MacCreery, the Liverpool printer, and the first edition (remarkable for its typographical excellence) was published in February 1796 (dated '1795'). Lord Orford (H. Walpole) wrote enthusiastically to Roscoe, praising the 'Grecian simplicity' of the style of his 'delightful book.' The work, which soon became known in London, was commended by Mathias, and was noticed by Fuseli (who knew Roscoe intimately) in the 'Analytical Review'... Roscoe sold the copyright of the first edition for 1,200l. to Cadell and Davies, who brought out a second edition in 1796, and a third in 1799; there are many later editions" (DNB).