The seasons ... illustrated with engravings by F. Bartolozzi and P.W. Tomkins ... from original pictures painted for the work by W. Hamilton.
London: printed for P.W. Tomkins ... the letter-press by T. Bensley. The types by V. Figgins, 1797. Large folio (18½" x 14¾"), pp. [12], 244; engraved title and dedication pages, 21 engravings throughout (6 full-page), contemporary full red straight-grain paneled morocco by Kalthoeber, with his ticket, 4 elaborate gilt borders of varying designs on covers, almost imperceptibly rebacked with gilt-lettering direct on gilt-decorated spine, a.e.g., inner gilt dentelles, blue pastepaper endpapers with printed gilt borders and fleurons in the corners; the covers slightly soiled and bit worn with some minor loss of the leather at the edges, but generally a very good, sound copy. Engraved armorial bookplate of Chas. Forbes. The subscriber's list contains nearly 300 names. The engravings are dated 1792-98. The German-born Christian Samuel Kalthoeber, who operated a bindery in London from 1782-1808, "was an outstanding craftsman and was responsible for the introduction of a number of new binding styles" (Glaister's Glossary of the Book, p. 265). Abbey, Life, 252; Lowndes, p. 2671; Ebert 22907: "This edition, ornamented with very neat vignettes and 4 [sic] large plates is very fine, but it has too small a margin for the largeness of the size. A repitition with the same vignettes appeared, Lond., 1807, lg. 4to." An old bookseller's pencil note on the flyleaf states "The finest edition of Thomson's Seasons published / only 10 copies like this at 40 guineas each / cost 20 guineas binding." Item #47940
Price: $2,800.00
