Don Quixote de La Mancha. (In English)
London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1818. 4 volume set, 11 1/4 inches tall. Not to be confused with the 4 volume smaller octavo edition, this is the rare tall quarto edition. A beautiful set in a Regency full straight grain morocco binding by W. Carpenter of 58 Lower Brook Street, Mayfair, and with their ticket. With wide gilt raised bands, stunning gilt tooling to the panels incorporating armorial fittings and devices. There is rubbing to the shoulders and slight foxing, mostly to the tissues, but overall a superb copy of this great edition. Elaborate gilt corner tooling and a series of gilt fillets frame the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. With the armorial bookplate of James Foster Wadmore. This tall edition is considered perhaps the finest 'Don Quixote' in the English language and is embellished by 48 full page engravings and 26 engraved vignettes from paintings by Robert Smirke. A wonderful set of this great novel, one of the earliest and most important in Western Literature.