Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
James Boswell. The Life of Samuel Johnson; Volume I. George Bayntun, 1925.
Price: US$7.51 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: 1925. No Edition Remarks. 576 pages. No dust jacket. Red cloth with gilt lettering. Volume I. Contains black and white illustrated plates. Pages and plates are lightly tanned and foxed throughout. Cracking to gutters of a few pages with exposed binding. Binding is slightly shaky. Boards have mild edge wear with slight rubbing to surfaces. Soft crushing to spine ends. Heavy sunning to spine and board edges.
Seller: World of Rare Books, Goring-by-Sea, SXW, United Kingdom
Price: US$30.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Previous owners book-plate is inside on front free end paper.
Seller: Ann Open Book, Lansing, MI, U.S.A.
James Boswell. The Life of Samuel Johnson (2 Volume Set). George Bayntun, 1925.
Price: US$46.95 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 2-volume set. Covers show minor wear and rubbing, staining. Pages are lightly tanned and clean.
Seller: Books From California, Simi Valley, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$50.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition thus. Two volumes. Small quartos. 576pp.; 577-1172pp. With 576 illustrations, facsimiles, and maps, including 13 plates in photogravure. Publisher's red cloth gilt. An about very good set. Volume I with a binding heavily sunned in places, dampstain on the lower corner of the textblock (barely affecting even the margins), and lacking the rear endpaper. The binding on Volume II is also heavily sunned in places, with general wear, and offsetting on the preliminaries. Interiors are bright. Solid, presentable reading copies of a fine production.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$57.72 + shipping
Description: Hardback. Two volume set. Vol. I: [i - vi], vii - xl, 1 - 576pp. Vol. II: [i - vi], vii - xv, [xvi], 577 - 1172pp. With 576 illustrations, Facsimiles and maps, including 13 photogravure plates. Publisher's original red cloth binding. Gilt silhouette of Jiohnson to upper boards and gilt titles to spines. Top edge gilt. A handsome edition of Boswell's remarkable biography of Johnson. Both volumes in uniform condition. Some minor bumping to corners and a littler wear to spine covers at hinges. Minor soiling and slight colour fade to cloth. Extremely slight spotting - mostly to endpapers - and very sporadically elsewhere. Free endpapers to Vol. II toned (but not Vol. I). Signature of previous owner to both pastedowns. The two volumes make for a heavy parcel but no extra shipping costs to UK post codes. Overseas buyers please ask for shipping costs.
Seller: Ariadne Books, PBFA, Eynsham, Witney, OXON, United Kingdom
Boswell, James (edit Roger Ingpen).. THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON: VOL. I - II.. George Bayntun, 1925.
Price: US$63.28 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 1925. George Bayntun. Hard Covers. Books- VG, gilt portraits on front boards, gilt titles on spines, red boards, t.e.g. 10x7.5. 1172pp. Each vol. - Frontis, many b/w illus. ***PLEASE NOTE: SORRY, BUT THIS IS A HEAVY ITEM AND MAY REQUIRE EXTRA FOR POSTAGE PARTICULARLY FOR OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS.**** An illustrated, two-volume edition of what is probably the most vivid, entertaining and enduring piece of biography in the English language.
Seller: Cambridge Rare Books, Cambridge, GLOUC, United Kingdom
Price: US$64.14 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: c. 1172 pages total. Many illustrations in b/w, plus maps. Previous owner's plate inside. A very good hardback set in red board covers with gilt image on the front plus gilt lettering to spine. Having virtually no significant rubbing to edges or surface marking, other than a very tine surface blemish to Volume 1 cover surface at bottom of spine. Solid volumes.
Seller: Helion & Company Ltd, Warwick, United Kingdom
Price: US$65.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Very good set in red cloth. Sunning to spines, light shelf-wear, small bookplates on first pastedown in each volume.
Seller: Jackson Street Booksellers, Omaha, NE, U.S.A.
Price: US$85.00 + shipping
Description: Two large quarto volumes in polished pale red cloth with gilt titles and illus stamped to front and spine; frontispieces, plates, portraits, facsimiles; 1172p, notes, index; 26 cm. To our knowledge, the most lavishly illustrated edition yet published, with a munificent abundance of b&w illustrations, plates and facsimiles throughout (almost every other page). Impressive. Extra postage fees may apply. Please inquire. Set weighs 8 lbs properly packed. Superficial damp-spotting to spine regions, both volumes (affects outer cloth only) ; else very tight and clean. Overall, a very good to even very good(+) set thus.
Seller: BIBLIOPE by Calvello Books, Oakland, CA, U.S.A.
James Boswell; Roger Ingpen [ed.]. The Life of Samuel Johnson. George Bayntun, Bath, 1925.
Price: US$115.45 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A new edition, complete in two volumes, of Boswell's important biography of Samuel Johnson, illustrated throughout. A two volume work in the publisher's original cloth binding, with pictorial gilt to the front boards. Ink inscription to the front free end paper of Volume I.Illustrated with five hundred and seventy six illustrations, facsimiles and maps, including thirteen plates in photogravure. Collated, complete.Written by Scottish biographer James Boswell (1740-1795), this work is often described as being the greatest biography ever written in English. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was an English poet, essayist, biographer and literary critic. He published 'A Dictionary of the English Language' in 1755, considered the foremost dictionary of the time until the Oxford English Dictionary was published 173 years later. He was a devout Anglican and firmly opposed slavery; his religious writings emphasize the goodness of charity, repentance, marriage and pride. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Externally fairly smart, though faded to the spines and front boards. Small marks to the front board of Volume I and rear board of Volume II. Front hinge to Volume I is slightly strained to the half title page but is held firmly. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean except for the odd spot to the first and last couple of pages. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$121.86 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Compete set of two volumes. First edition thus - newly edited with notes by Roger Ingpen. Printed at the Pitman Press, Bath. ***Volume I: 1709- March 18, 1776). With 576 illustrations, facsimiles and maps including 13 plates in photogravure including frontispiece of Samuel Johnson by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1756, from the original picture in the possession of James Boswell Esq. published April 10, 1791 by C. Dilly. Title-page shows photo of a copper half-penny (with Johnson's head ) struck at Birmingham. ***Very good in red cloth-covered boards with gilt titles and gilt decorative rules to spine and gilt decorative bust portrait of Samuel Johnson and his signature to front board. Top edge gilt. Edges of boards slightly rubbed. Head and tail of spine slightly rubbed. Crease to top corner of front free endpaper. Spine tight. Pages clean. Owner's name and address and date to top of front free endpaper and gift inscription in the same handwriting to bottom of front free endpaper. No dustwrapper, as issued. 576 pages (Vol.I). ***Volume II: (March 19, 1776 - Dec. 13, 1784). With 576 illustrations, facsimiles and maps including 13 plates in photogravure including frontispiece of Samuel Johnson by Sir Joshua Reynolds from a mezzotint by W. Doughly dated 1784. (The original portrait painted for Mr Thrale in 1773 is now in the National Gallery). ***Very good in red cloth-covered boards with gilt titles and gilt decorative rules to spine and gilt decorative bust portrait of Samuel Johnson and his signature to front board. Title-page shows a circular portrait of James Boswell from a sketch by Sir Thomas Lawrence (complimenting the title-page of Vol I). Top edge gilt. Edges of boards slightly rubbed. Lower corners of boards slightly bumped. Head and tail of spine slightly rubbed. Spine tight. Pages clean. Owner's name and address and date to top of front free endpaper and gift inscription in same handwriting to bottom of front free endpaper. No dustwrapper, as issued. ***Both volumes - 1172 pages including index to rear of Vol. 2. 250 mm x 192 mm. ***Roger Ingpen's revised edition was first published by Pitman in 1907, and reissued in 1925 in a new edition, entirely re-set, printed by the Pitman Press. The fine set of illustrations include portraits from authentic originals, views from old prints, autographs, facsimile title-pages and a series of views of Johnson's haunts. ***A nicely produced edition of James Boswell's classic work - the complete set of two volumes of "The Life of Samuel Johnson", newly edited by Roger Ingpen. Printed on high quality glossy paper, published by George Bayntun. Very hard to find in the original cloth binding, both volumes profusely illustrated, including very fine photogravures. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. ***These books are heavy - around 2.5kg - and will incur additional postage if mailed outside the UK.
Seller: Orlando Booksellers, Lincoln, United Kingdom
James; Roger Ingpen Boswell. THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON. Two volume set. George Bayntun, 1925.
Price: US$145.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 2 volume set. Clean, unmarked pages. Good binding and cover. Hinges weak on volume 1. Maroon cloth boards, hardcover. Bayntun pub, 1925. Book plate inside cover. Johnson related news clippings on end pages of vol. 1. Spines sunned. Ships daily. This is an oversized or heavy book that requires additional postage for international delivery outside of Canada and the US.
Seller: Sequitur Books, Boonsboro, MD, U.S.A.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Quarto, 2 volumes; 1172pp. (all), illustrated. A fine, fresh, handsome set, bound by Bayntun (naturally, and yes, the binding is signed) in 3/4 deep navy morocco and blue cloth, with raised bands, gilt compartments and spine titles, marbled endpapers, and top edge gilt. Slightest rubbing to extremities, but a very nice set. Supremely attractive set of this well-illustrated edition of perhaps the greatest biography ever written. A contemporary inscription on a front blank in volume I notes how scarce the book was in the open market, even within a year of publication, and how lucky he was to have been able to buy it. He seems to have written this note to himself, as his ownership inscription also appears in the second volume.
Seller: Cleveland Book Company, ABAA, Rocky River, OH, U.S.A.
JOHNSON, Samuel. BOSWELL, James.. The Life of Samuel Johnson.. George Bayntun, Bath., 1925.
Price: US$865.86 + shipping
Description: First edition thus: newly edited with notes by Roger Ingpen. Quarto. Two volumes: pp xl, 1-576; xvi, 577-1172. 576 illustrations, facsimiles and maps, including thirteen photogravures. In addition, tipped in from other sources, are a number of colour portrait plates, most of them being handprinted mezzotints. Period binding, presumably by the publishers, of three quarter brown crushed morocco with raised bands, gilt decorations and rules, marbled endpapers, cloth sides, top edges gilt.Armorial bookplate on each pastedown. Some minimal rubbing to edges of covers. A fine set.
Seller: Peter Ellis, Bookseller, ABA, ILAB, London, United Kingdom
James Boswell. The Life of Samuel Johnson. George Bayntun, Bath, 1925.
Price: US$875.00 + shipping
Description: Original half calf boards with matching cloth. 5 slightly raised bands in 6 compartments. Title in tooled gilt on the spine. Spine has elaborate gilt decoration. Top Edge Gilt., Ex Libris Abel E. Berland, Size : 4to (180mm x 240mm), Contains 13 plates and a profusion of illustrations. , Volume : Two Volumes, P. Volume 1: Advertisement, Half Title, Advertisement, Blank, Frontispiece, Title, Printer?s Imprint, Preface (13), Portrait, Contents (5), Illustrations (4), Title, Frontispiece, Dedication (2), Advertisement (6), 1-576; Volume 2: Advertisement, Half Title, Advertisement, Blank, Frontispiece, Title, Printer?s Imprint, Contents (5), Frontispiece, 577-1172. A fine copy bound in original half crimson gilt calf.
Seller: Alexandre Antique Prints, Maps & Books, Toronto, ON, Canada
Price: US$900.00 + shipping
Description: Quarto (10x7½ inches). Pp. xl, 576 + xv, 577-1172. Illustrated with 576 illustrations, facsimiles and map, including 13 plates in photogravure. Extensive notes, bibliography, chronology, index. Bound in three-quarter crimson morocco, red cloth sides, spines ruled in gilt, gilt lettering and pictorial devises within compartments between raised bands. Bookplate on front pastedowns, slight fading to front cloth of volume II. A very fine, crisp set in a handsome binding. This is a wonderfully illustrated and invaluable edition of Boswell's classic biography of Johnson, with hundreds of portraits of all the major players, views, facsimiles of letters and other writings, etc. Volume I covers 1709 to March 18, 1776; volume II covers March 19, 1776 to December 13, 1784. "Includes a wealth of carefully annotated pictures of various kinds. we congratulate publisher and author on the excellent idea of illustrating the greatest of biographers on an ample scale" (Atheæum).
Seller: Argonaut Book Shop, ABAA, San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.
James Boswell; Roger Ingpen. The Life of Samuel Johnson. George Bayntun, Bath, 1925.
Price: US$1154.49 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: A splendid, Bayntun bound two volume new edition of Boswell's important biography, lavishly illustrated throughout. Written by Scottish biographer James Boswell (1740-1795), this biography is often described as being the greatest biography ever written in English. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was an English poet, essayist, biographer and literary critic. He published 'A Dictionary of the English Language' in 1755, considered the foremost dictionary of the time until the Oxford English Dictionary was published 173 years later. He was a devout Anglican and firmly opposed slavery; his religious writings emphasize the goodness of charity, repentance, marriage and pride.A new edition, with notes by Roger Ingpen.Profusely illustrated with five hundred and seventy six illustrations, facsimiles and maps, including thirteen plates in photogravure. Collated, complete.A truly beautiful copy of this excellent edition of an influential English biography. In a half crushed morocco binding. Externally lovely, with just the slightest rubbing to the tail of volume II. An ownership bookplate has been removed from the front pastedown of each volume. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Fine
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Boswell, James. THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON.. George Bayntun, Bath,, 1925.
Price: US$8795.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON. Boswell, James Published by George Bayntun, Bath, 1925 2 Vols Cosway Style Bindings by Bayntun Riviere, Bath, England. Beautiful, first edition, illustrated two-volume edition of the most celebrated biography in the English language. Quarto, Published by George Bayntun. bound in full Brown morocco, spines slightly sunned, Cosway Style binding extra gilt, with gilt titles and gold and blind tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, Silk deblures, all edges gilt. Housed in 2 separate cloth slipcases. Complete with 576 illustrations, facsimiles and maps including 13 plates in photogravure. Newly edited with notes by Roger Ingpen. Boswell excelled in insight into human nature and in ability to dramatize a situation. It was a crucial part of Boswell s magic to give significance and vitality to the apparently trivial; it is this trait, together with his notable accuracy and unparalleled completeness of portraiture, that made him the Shakespeare of biographers. (Baugh et al., 1065-66). "One of Western literature's most germinal achievements: unprecedented in its time in its depth of research and its extensive use of private correspondence and recorded conversation." (Gordon Turnbull, Oxford DNB).
Seller: E.C. Rare Books., Vancouver, BC, Canada