Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$322.07 + shipping
Description: First Bewick edition, demy paper issue, one of approximately 1,000 copies from a total edition of 2,000. This is Bewick's last work, but "one that he had long intended to carry out, 'indeed ever since I intended anything'. the designs followed age-old formulae, and Bewick himself had drawn and redrawn them over the years" (Uglow, p. 343). One of the finest wood engravers of his time, Bewick (1753-1828) established his reputation with two naturalistic works: General History of Quadrupeds (1790) and History of British Birds (1797 and 1804). He had always been fascinated by Aesop; a copy of the fables, acquired when he was sixteen and inscribed "Bewick 1770", was still in his library at his death. Bewick planned his own edition "during convalescence from illness, writing some fables of his own and reworking or taking unacknowledged contributions from others. The engravings were designed on the wood by Bewick with his drawing finished in the greatest detail; the cutting was done by apprentices under his close supervision and where necessary later refined by their master. [it contains] many superb engravings" (ODNB). The edition was issued in multiple paper formats; the demy copies can be identified by the paper size, the presence of the 'Aud Clouty' woodcut at page xvi, and the last line on page 248 reading "road of honour and honesty". Roscoe notes that demy copies "were apparently the first to be issued". All copies were issued with a printed receipt featuring a facsimile of Bewick's signature and thumbprint, as well as a manuscript indication of the copy's size and price; a limitation number was added to the receipt in the second edition (1823). This receipt is no longer present in this copy, although a receipt from the second edition dated "January 1 1824" and numbered "29" has sometime been inserted. Roscoe 45c, variant A. Jenny Uglow, Nature's Engraver: A Life of Thomas Bewick, 2006. Octavo (208 x 127 mm). Late 19th-century calf by Tout for Sotheran, rebacked with part of the original spine laid down, raised bands, gilt decoration in compartments, red and green morocco labels, triple gilt fillet frame to covers, board edges and turn-ins richly gilt, marbled endpapers, edges yellow. Woodcut vignette on title page, numerous woodcut head- and tailpieces by Bewick throughout. Label of William Palmer Bolles (1845-1916), American surgeon, on front pastedown; armorial bookplate of Frederic Palmer, likely a family member or descendant, below. Light wear to extremities, inner hinges discreetly repaired, foxing to endpapers and occasionally to contents, couple of small marks, else clean. A very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Description: xxiv, 376 pp. Added engraved frontispiece portrait; illustrated throughout from wood engravings by Thomas Bewick. 8vo, contemporary (old) polished calf; all edges marbled; both covers detached and spine absent. First edition; Royal octavo issue; Variant B. Roscoe 45b. Three attractive old bookplates on pastedown; aside from the binding flaws noted, a very attractive copy. With the "thumb-mark receipt" page with printed facsimile signatures of Thomas Bewick and Robert Elliott Bewick and seaweed in red over wood-engraved landscape, bound before title. This is once of the few copies that bear the autograph signature of Thomas Bewick above the thumb-mark.
Seller: Jeffrey H. Marks, Rare Books, ABAA, Rochester, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Description: 8vo. xxiv, 376 pages. 188 fable cuts and 136 tailpieces in text. Contemporary English polished calf, the sides and spines decorated in blind and gilt, marbled edges, by Whitehead and Sons, Leeds (with their ticket on pastedown). A handsome copy of Bewick's extensively and exquisitely illustrated fables. Roscoe 45. A very good copy, internally clean and fresh, joints restored and with some light wear to binding
Seller: Riverrun Books & Manuscripts, ABAA, Ardsley, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$740.75 + shipping
Description: First edition, with the inserted "receipt" bearing the facsimile thumbprint of Thomas Bewick and the signatures of him and his son, which has been bound before title-page; this copy is without the wood engraving of "Auld Clouty" which Bewick later suppressed and replaced with "The Philosopher". pp xxiv, 376. Frontispiece engraving of Thomas Bewick; 188 wood engraved illustrations and 136 tailpieces by him. Period binding of full leather, raised gilt decorated bands. Mounted onto the front free endpaper and at the bottom on the last page of contents are 19th century newspaper clippings on Anglo-Saxon themes which might or might not be illustrated by Bewick - if so, they are not in his usual style, but then this raises the question as to why they are present; also, for reasons unclear, there is a newspaper cutting of Hartley Coleridge's poem "The Solace of Song" on the verso of the title-page. There is some abrasion to the covers particularly at the tail of spine. Occasional spotting. Good, the many wood engravings within in excellent state.
Seller: Peter Ellis, Bookseller, ABA, ILAB, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$740.75 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Book measures 22x14.cm. Collation, xxiv,376pp, Plus the extra 'thumb mark' receipt page with a red seaweed spray signed by Bewick''. Bound in modern full panelled leather, raised bands, gilt lines, center stamp, and lettering, marble endpapers. Binding in fine condition. Internally, pages clean throughout. A very nice copy.F Size: 8vo
Seller: George Jeffery Books, HERTFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
Price: US$901.78 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Beautifully illustrated with many Woodcuts. Each Fable has a large "Header" illustration and most also have a Tailpiece illustration. Title page, dated 1818, illustrated with Vignette of Newcastle. Followed by Dedicatory page with Vignette of Moonlit Landscape overlaid with Brown Fern Design. Thomas Bewicks' Thumbprint below. XVI/16 Prelimanmry Pages including the Tailpiece illustratin of "Auld Clouty". Main Text 376 p. pages. 8 1/2" Tall. Period Brown Full-Leather Binding with 5 Raised bands to spine. Bright Gilt title in 2nd compartment and Bright Gilt Floral Decoration in the others. Bright Gilt Ruled Margin on front & back, bright Gilt hatching on board edges and bright Gilt Decorative inside border. Marbled Endpapers. All page edges Gilt. Old Bookplate illustrated with a Crest on Endpaper. A little scuffing to leather. Small area of reddish stain on right side of spine. hInges sound and text block firm. No inscriptions.
Seller: Bay Books, Penzance, United Kingdom
Price: US$966.20 + shipping
Description: Imperial octavo 10 1/4 x 6 3/4 inches, handsomely leather bound in later full green morocco with raised bands and a floral motif in compartments, all edges gilt- binding by Riviere. Very minor scratch to the lower board. xxiv, 376 pages. Vignette title page and illustrations by Thomas Bewick throughout. Plus the extra 'thumb mark' receipt page with a red seaweed spray signed by Bewick and the word 'Imp' copy and the price 1. 11. 6 added in ink. Armorial bookplate of Robert Clayton Swann. Bibliography- Roscoe 45a, variant B. One of only 500 imperial octavo copies with many leaves watermarked 1806. Plus the Roscoe issue points present- the Philosopher cut at page xvi and the last line of page 248 reading 'road of candour and prudence'. Some spotting to the title otherwise a good clean copy bound by Riviere.
Seller: Charles Russell, ABA, ILAB, est 1978, cirencester, United Kingdom
Price: US$966.62 + shipping
Description: The Fables of Aesop, And Others, With Designs On Wood, Newcastle: E. Walker, for T. Bewick & Son, 1818, first edition, some light wear to fore edge corner tips and spine extremities, else a vg copy with fine contents in full leather with double ruled covers and decorated raised spine compartments with marbled end-papers and marbled page edges bound by R. Spencer of High Holburn. 1/500 large paper copies of "The Imperial Edition" with the Bewick's Thumb Mark Receipt on leaf with red fern design printed over a moonlit landscape just above. Illustrated with 188 wood engraved illustrations and 136 tailpieces.
Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.
Price: US$1038.99 + shipping
Description: Signed by Illustrator. ~Limited Edition of 1,000 Demy Copies, with signed thumb-mark of Bewick~~Good+ 1st printing 1818 Walker / Bewick hardback, the original issue with signed thumb-print and statement confirming numbered limited Demy edition above it. Comes with the original Devil tail-piece illustration replaced in the subsequent printing. Previous ownership signatures of Jane Cookson (later Streatfeild, close friend of Elizabeth Barrett Browning), her son Ernest Cecil Streatfeild and Sylvia Denny. Some page tanning and spotting, a few pages show some more pronounced foxing with some discolored staining to corners of end-papers, name to fly-leaf. Replacement binding, some spine discoloration but binding very tight and secure. Illustrator: Bewick, Thomas. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: 1-2 kilos. Category: Art & Design; Signed by Illustrator. ISBN/EAN: B00085SF40. The photos provided are of our own book, further photos may be arranged upon request. Inventory No: 090629.
Seller: 84 Charing Cross Road Books, IOBA, Cambridge, CAMBS, United Kingdom