Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$966.20 + shipping
Description: First edition of Lamb's second collection of essays, including his celebrated essay "Detached Thoughts on Books and Reading", this copy in an elaborately tooled fine binding by Riviere & Son. Lamb first used his pseudonym Elia (an anagram of "a lie") in the title of his first collection of essays in 1823; the persona "was, to those who knew him, recognizably Lamb himself, and he drew freely on his memories and his own correspondence for the essays, but Elia was somewhat more unworldly, whimsical, and elegiac than his author; and the contrivance of the dramatic persona released an easy eloquence and emotional fluency seldom seen in Lamb's previous writings" (ODNB). The two collections established Lamb both at the time and since as one of the leading essayists of the 19th century. Octavo (200 x 128 mm). Finely bound by Riviere & Son in green crushed morocco, spine with five raised bands, lettered in gilt direct to second and third compartments, remaining compartments and covers richly gilt, turn-ins gilt, green silk doublures and free endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Light foxing and toning to contents, else a fine copy, handsomely bound.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$1750.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition, First Issue of "Elia" and its sequel, "The Last Essays of Elia." 4.5 x 7.25in. 341pp.; xii. 283pp. Bound by Riviere & Sons in full crushed morocco with gilt ruling. Spine with 5 raised bands and 6 decorated compartments. Morocco labels with gilt titling. Text-block edges and dentelles are gilt. Marbled endpapers. Both volumes are in NEAR FINE condition showing marginal hints of shelf rubbing along the extremities, otherwise remain Fine/As New. An exceptionally maintained pairing in fine bindings. As pictured.
Seller: North Books: Used & Rare, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.