Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$154.59 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: The second edition, revised and corrected, 20 preliminary pages, 534 pages (lacks the half title page and the leaf advertising Boswell's Life), page 341 mis-numbered as "41", bound in modern half green morocco and marbled paper covered boards, top edge gilt, new end-papers, some spotting and staining throughout the book, worming to the inner margin of pages 423 to 438, damage to the lower right corners of page 420 onwards with extensive loss from pages 503 to 530
Seller: Provan Books, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Price: US$337.50 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: 8vo; 534 pages; Full leather binding with new leather spine with original spine laid down. Light rubbing and wear to covers with armorial bookplate of Archdeacon Pope on inside front cover. Missing the half-title.
Seller: Circle City Books, tucson, AZ, U.S.A.
Price: US$473.06 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: London, H. Baldwin, 1785. 8vo. III-VII,(1),524,(1) pp. Worn and restored contemporary tree calf, spine ruled in gilt with later black morocco label lettered in gilt. Spine cracked and worn with head and tail missing, both joints cracked, upper cover loose together with first gathering, signs of worming along rear joint, endpapers renewed. Faint gilt-embossed initials visible at tail of spine. Some spotting and staining, e.g. from the bottom margin of title-page to p. 16 and at upper margin of pp. 430-440. Paper loss at outer margin of p. 89 and at lower outer corner of p. 319. Faint dampstaining to lower gutter on pp. 187-231. Small tear affecting upper margin of p. 369. With the signature of Elizabeth Dauberry dated 1804, and the bookplates of Carl Doge Beth Heather Mansfield and Gunnar Brusewitz. Lacking the half-title! Cox A reference guide to the literature of travel III:31. Pottle The literary career of James Boswell 57. The first edition, second state as described by Pottle, of Boswell's account of his three-month trek through the highlands and islands with Samuel Johnson in 1773. A second revised edition was printed the same year. Boswell's account "has the chatty informality of a 'rough' guide: its focus is on Johnson, as it describes his charged encounters with the native population, whether humble cottagers or important personages like Lord Monboddo and Boswell's formidable father Lord Auchinleck [.]. The tour [.] deepened the friendship between the pair, and increased Johnson's respect for and confidence in Boswell as a future biographer" (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography). Johnson had published his own account, very different in tone, in "A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland" (1775). The final leaf advertises Boswell's Life of Johnson as "Preparing for the press, in one volume quarto".
Seller: Mats Rehnström Rare Books SVAF, ILAB, Stockholm, Sweden
Price: US$483.10 + shipping
Description: 8vo, pp. iii-vii, [1], 524, [2], with the terminal errata/advertisement slip, wanting the half-title; small tear to head of title-page, repaired; a good copy in modern half calf and marbled boards.First edition. The text of the Journal was largely completed in 1773 from the diary Boswell kept while travelling in Scotland; publication was, however, delayed until after Johnson's death. The advertisement for Boswell's Life of Johnson on the errata leaf announces that the book is 'preparing for the press'; it would not in fact be published for another six years. This copy is in Pottle's second state, with the corrections to I5, Q7, and U6; E4, M4, and presumably E3 are cancels as usual. Pottle 57; Rothschild 456. Language: English
Seller: Bernard Quaritch Ltd ABA ILAB, London, United Kingdom
Boswell, James. The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides. Henry Baldwin, London, 1785.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Description: Old marbled boards, later leather backing with black label, has the half title and the errata. NEAR VERY GOOD boards rubbed, corners bumped and worn, edge wear, front and rear endpapers separated at hinges not affecting holding the book and covers together, internally clean.
Seller: Barrister, Inc., Davie, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$579.72 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First Edition. Hardback. 8vo. (22cm by 14cm) pp vii [1] 524 [2](viii, 524, 2pp.). Bound with half-title page, and inccluding errata-leaf at end of text and publishers advertisement for Boswell's Life of Johnson ('Preparing for the Press in one volume quarto.') This ad according to Pottle makes the book a second state of the first edition. Contemporary light brown full leather lettered gilt at the spine with gilt decoration. Repair at top and tail of spine with slightly lighter brown leather. Handsome very good copy with very clean text.
Seller: Burwood Books, Wickham Market, United Kingdom
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A receipt from Seven Gables Bookshop, New York, NY dated 12/6/1968, indicates this volume has new mottled calf. The book appears to be a First Edition with mixed First and Second state points, e.g. "in-induced" is present, but there is also :"nor Mrs. Thrale." This volume has the half-title page and the page with the Errata information and advertisement for "The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D." in one Volume Quarto. All edges on this volume are gilt and the boards have a gilt border both on the recto and verso sides. The end papers are marbled. The spine has five slightly raised bands, two red leather labels. One is for the title "Johnson's Tour to the Hebrides," the other the author's name "Boswell." at the bottom is the date of publication 1785. Most of the gilt on the spine, boards and edges is bright and clean, however, the "1" in 1785 is a bit off. The leather shows wear at the joints and edges, and there is about an inch separation between the boards and spine near the top edge front and rear. There is light foxing to the unmarblized end papers and a few pages with spots, but the book is generally clean, bright, and tight internally. Please look at the pictures provided carefully, and ask questions about this item prior to making a purchase, thank you.
Seller: Before Your Quiet Eyes, Rochester, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$745.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: xx, [1], 534, [1]. Complete, with half title, and advert leaf at rear. Ding to top corner of front board. Old bookplate and signature to front pastedown; signature again at head of title page. Light foxing/offsetting to first few and final few leaves; else remarkably clean. A pleasing unsophisticated example in sound contemporary binding.
Seller: The Odd Book (ABAC, ILAB), Wolfville, NS, Canada
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 8vo. 213 by 132 mm. vii, [1], 524 pp. Without half-title in front nor errata or ad leaf in back. But first state points met in this copy, including page 121, in-induced, not corrected; page 237, "Kings and subjects" on line 5-6. However, page 299 has "nor Mrs. Thrale" on line 13, thus a second state point. Condition: modern morocco binding without issues. Some fairly dark stains here and there, but never bothersome. Some light foxing scattered.
Seller: White Fox Rare Books, ABAA/ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
BOSWELL, James.. The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. .. , 1785.
Price: US$772.57 + shipping
Description: London: Printed by Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, 1785. 8vo. Contemp. full polished calf (hinges cracked but sound). Spine with raised bands and a morocco titling-label. (viii, 524, 2pp.). Bound without half-title page, but includes errata-leaf at end of text, otherwise a fine complete copy of the 1st edition.
Seller: Berkelouw Rare Books, Berrima, NSW, Australia
Price: US$795.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Full Leather First Edition 1785 Well Preserved Copy Rare In This Condition Excellent Fresh Copy.
Seller: Jeff Bergman Books ABAA, ILAB, Flemington, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$832.50 + shipping
Description: 8vo. pp. vii, [1], 524, [1 leaf]errata & advert. with half-title. later calf, rebacked with spine mounted (first few leaves lightly washed & possibly supplied from another copy 2 with neat marginal repairs). First Edition; with I5, Q7 & U6 in Second State. Pottle 57. Rothschild 456.
Seller: D & E LAKE LTD. (ABAC/ILAB), Toronto, ON, Canada
Price: US$875.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Octavo, vii, [1], 524pp, [errata]. Full brown calf, new spine, title stamped in gilt over red morocco label. Solid text block, internally clean. This work includes the errata leaf, but lacks the half title. First state of p. 121, second state of p. 237 and p. 299. (Rothschild 456) (Pottle 57). This travel journal by James Boswell, first published in 1785, follows the journey of Boswell and his friend, Samuel Johnson, through the Scottish highlands and the island of the Hebrides. The first account of this eighty-three day journey was published by Samuel Johnson in 1775, with the title A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland.
Seller: The First Edition Rare Books, LLC, Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A.
Price: US$1187.50 + shipping
Description: First edition, 8vo, pp. vii, [1], 524, [1]; E3, E4 and M4 are cancels, as usual; leaves I5, Q7 and U6 are in Pottle's second state; beneath the list of errata at the end is a notice for Boswell's Life of Johnson ("preparing for the press"), which did not appear for another 6 years; contemporary mottled calf neatly rebacked in tan calf, gilt-paneled spine, red morocco label; a very good, sound copy. "Though the Life is a vaster and richer piece of work, no one will maintain that it displays Boswell's unique gift for biography better than the Tour. Indeed, most lovers of Boswell will agree that the Tour as a whole, is more consistently good than the Life; that is, that nowhere in the Life could one find so many consecutive first-class pages as those that compose this book" (Pottle). The book published is almost the same as the actual journal that was kept in 1773. When Johnson's death made it possible for Boswell to publish the manuscript, he only added an introduction and a conclusion before giving it to the printer. Pottle 57; Rothschild 456.
Seller: Rulon-Miller Books (ABAA / ILAB), St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Description: 8vo, [viii] 524pp + leaf of errata and advertisement for Life of Johnson; later three-quarter morocco and cloth; t.e.g. Second state, with typographic errors corrected, all cancels present. Pottle 57. Half-title wanting; early owner's inscription/motto in French; preliminaries browned at edges, and with a few small, inconsequential chips and short edge tears.
Seller: Locus Solus Rare Books (ABAA, ILAB), Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
BOSWELL, James. Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, with Samuel Johnson, LL.D.. , 1785.
Price: US$1375.00 + shipping
Description: BOSWELL, James. The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. By James Boswell, Esq. Containing Some Poetical Pieces by Dr. Johnson, Relative to the Tour, and Never before Published; A Series of His Conversation, Literary Anecdotes, and Opinions of Men and Books: With an Authentick Account of the Distresses and Escape of the Grandson of King James II. In the Year 1746. Contemporary 3/4 calf and marbled boards, rebacked in antique style calf, spine blind ruled, tan morocco spine label. London: Printed by Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, 1785. Pottle 59. Second edition, revised and corrected. With ownership signature on 1/2 title and a note of the volumes provenance on verso of front free endpaper. Boards rubbed, some wear to corners, bookplate neatly removed from front pastedown, else very clean internally. A very good or better, fully untrimmed copy.
Seller: G.S. MacManus Co., ABAA, Bryn Mawr, PA, U.S.A.
Price: US$1610.33 + shipping
Description: First edition of Boswell's version of their three-month trek through the highlands and islands of Scotland in late 1773. Johnson had published his own account, very different in tone, in A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, 1775. Boswell's account "has the chatty informality of a 'rough' guide: its focus is on Johnson, as it describes his charged encounters with the native population, whether humble cottagers or important personages like Lord Monboddo and Boswell's formidable father Lord Auchinleck. The tour. deepened the friendship between the pair, and increased Johnson's respect for and confidence in Boswell as a future biographer" (Pat Rogers in ODNB). The final leaf advertises Boswell's Life of Johnson as "Preparing for the Press, in one Volume Quarto". Octavo (208 x 127 mm). Contemporary mottled calf, smooth spine with attractive circular flower-and-leaf tools between double gilt rules, green morocco label, spot marbled endpapers. With the ownership inscription at the head of the half-title of Rebecca Penyston (née Assheton), dated 1787, the year of her marriage to Francis Penyston of Cornwell, Oxfordshire. Front joint cracked but holding firm, corners just worn, still a very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$3750.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A remarkable survivor in the form in which this was originally published. This copy is in original marbled boards and quarter calf, with uncut page edges. Most copies did not survive in this form. This one has, superbly. First edition, mixed state. With the half title and errata and publisher's advertisement leaf for Boswell's Life of Johnson at the end. Original blank pages; two in front, two in rear, has leaf Q7 in first state while U6 and I5 are in second states. E3, E4, and M4 are cancels. Rothschild 456. Octavo (225 x 135mm). This copy is from a lending library, with the names of original readers listed on the front end-paper. The first reader in the list of about 14 names is a Mr Hatfield, who held the book from 29 September through 9 October 1786. Boswell's Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides "has the chatty informality of a rough guide: its focus is on Johnson, as it describes his charged encounters with the native population, whether humble cottagers or important personages like Lord Monboddo and Boswell's formidable father Lord Auchinleck" (ODNB). Condition: chip to head of spine, some wear along joints, some scuffing to boards. Internally there are a few occasional spots but largely the pages are quite clean. Seems to me to be remarkably well preserved for a 238 year old library book.
Seller: Different Drummer Books, Niantic, CT, U.S.A.
Price: US$3999.92 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: . Contemporary calf. First Edition. With the half title and errata and advertisement leaf at the end. First state of p. 121 with “in-induced.” Provenance: From the library of notable book collector Sydney Ross with his bookplate. This anecdotal and vivid record of Boswell’s trip through Scotland with Johnson is a prelude to his later Life of Samuel Johnson. Two slips of bibliographical information tipped in inside the front cover, Very Good. Together with Pottle, Frederick A. and Charles H. Bennett, Eds. Boswell’s Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. New York: Viking, 1936. Original red cloth. First Edition Thus. From the library of Sydney Ross with his bookplate. Near Fine in Near Fine Dust Jacket with a small edge tear.
Seller: Pride and Prejudice-Books, Ballston Lake, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$8373.71 + shipping
Description: First edition of Boswell's version of their three-month trek through the highlands and islands of Scotland in late 1773. Boswell's account "has the chatty informality of a 'rough' guide: its focus is on Johnson, as it describes his charged encounters with the native population, whether humble cottagers or important personages like Lord Monboddo and Boswell's formidable father Lord Auchinleck. The tour. deepened the friendship between the pair, and increased Johnson's respect for and confidence in Boswell as a future biographer" (Pat Rogers in ODNB). Johnson had published his own account, very different in tone, in A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, 1775. The final leaf advertises Boswell's Life of Johnson as "Preparing for the Press, in one Volume Quarto" (ODNB). Provenance: contemporary ownership inscription to front free endpaper, "Tho. Brodrick"; same leaf with Japanese stamp of Shinozuka. Pottle 57; Rothschild 456; Tinker 333. Octavo (226 x 140 mm). Original boards sometime neatly rebacked, untrimmed. Housed in a custom red quarter morocco slip case and matching chemise. Boswell's wood-engraved crest to title page. Boards a little rubbed and marked, scattered foxing or spotting and occasional toning, paper flaw at fore margin of O8, old scorch mark in gutter between pp. 355-87. A very good tall copy, complete with half-title and terminal errata leaf. Leaf I5 is in the first state, with Q7 and U6 in the second, as in the Rothschild copy; the five cancels mentioned by Rothschild all present.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom