Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Boswell, James [1740 - 1795]. The Life of Samuel Johnson (Vol 4 of 5). John Murray, 1831.
Price: US$20.00 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: (Vol. 4 of 5) Binding scuffed, corners bumped, back strip missing. Front hinge a little weak, armorial book plate inside covert (Charles Wordsworth). Portrait frontispiece has left dark impression on the title page. Size: Octavo (standard book size). 559 pages. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: 4 pounds or less. Category: Biography & Autobiography; Literature & Literary. Pictures of this item not already displayed here available upon request.
Seller: Shelley and Son Books (IOBA), Hendersonville, NC, U.S.A.
james boswell. the life of samuel johnson, ll.d.. john murray, london, 1831.
Price: US$32.02 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: volume 5 ( of 5 volumes ) 8vo, frontis of johnson, 551pp, inc index, contemporary full calf, spine edge rubbed and title on spine faded, but binding good and sound, ( bit of leather dye on spine and leather preserver will improve greatly ) contemporary bookplate on front paste down, text good clean and tight, a good sopund copy of volume 5.
Seller: Peter Sexton, arlington, United Kingdom
Price: US$153.70 + shipping
Description: A new edition of Boswell's celebrated biography of Samuel Johnson in five uniform volumes edited by John Wilson Croker. A new edition of Scottish biographer James Boswell's celebrated biography of Samuel Johnson, often described as one of the greatest English biographies of all time. Edited by John Wilson Croker. Complete in five volumes.Also featuring Johnson's The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides.Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait to each volume. Collated, complete.Samuel Johnson was an English author, well-known in the literary world for his many lasting contributions to various areas of humanist art, including poetry, essay-writing, biography, and more. He is described by the 'Oxford Dictionary of National Biographies' as the most distinguished man of letters in English history.This biography is notable for its extensive reports of Johnson's conversation, compiled through Boswell's acquaintance of Johnson since 1763. Originally published in 1791. Featuring facsimile of the original title page.Bookplate to front pastedowns from 'MacDonnell.' In uniform full straight up grain morocco with decorative embossing to boards, gilt to edges, five raised bands, titles in gilt to spine. Externally a trifle rubbed with chipping and rubbing to extremities, occasional minor loss to head and tail of spine. Rear board vol. I and front board vol. IV loose but present. Joints rubbed, starting to vol. III. Back strip vol I lifting. Text block firmly bound. Light offsetting to title page from frontispiece, otherwise pages generally bright and clean. Good Only
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$164.44 + shipping
Description: 5 portraits, qqs. rouss. demi-chag. mauve à coins, dos à nerfs orné, un peu frotté.
Seller: Librairie Farfouille, paris, France
Price: US$256.17 + shipping
Description: Black and White illustrations, including fold-out maps. Brown leather with red spine labels and blind-stamped decoration. Marbled edges and endpapers. Very Good- (clean and tight; spines lightly worn). Oversize; Postage & Packing may cost extra.
Seller: Much Ado Books, Alfriston, SUSSE, United Kingdom
Price: US$256.17 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: London: John Murray, 1831. 1st Edition . Good. pp532 + 571 + 565 + 559 + 551. Vol I full leather binding. Vols II to V half leather binding with marbled board. The pattern and shade of the Vol I spine is slightly different to the other four volumes. Vol I marbled endpapers. Vol II to V grey endpapers. Vol I PO name inscribed second endpaper. Blocked marbled pages. Generally, slight wear to corners and ends of spine. Overall an excellent opportunity to obtain a full set of this edition at a reasonable price.
Seller: Scarthin Books ABA, ILAB., Cromford, United Kingdom
Boswell, James. The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (Five Volumes). John Murray, London, 1831.
Price: US$320.22 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A five Volume set in brown half leather, with 4 raised bands to spine, red title labels and gilt title lettering. Dated 1831 on each title page, with different engraved frontis portrait of Johnson in each volume. Approximately 500pp per volume. Bookplate to fixed endpaper in 3 volumes. Marbled endpapers, edges and boards. Two red title labels to each vol, except that lower label missing on vol.2.Some rubbing to spines, and wear to tops and tails: gilt decoration to spines rubbed in place. Generally a Vg set for date: see photo.
Seller: Camilla's Bookshop, Eastbourne, SX, United Kingdom
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 5 1/2 x 9 in. First edition thus with the notes by John Croker, 1831. Rebound c. 1900 by Baynton, Bath, in half scarlet calf with raised spine bands, gilt decorations, fully gilt text edges. Marbled endpapers. Frontis portraits in each, with tissue guards. Condition is VERY GOOD ; mild shadowing to the title pgs from the frontis, but unlike many of this printing, there is no foxing to the text or fold-out plates. Covers are clean with wear to the exterior of the joints but no cracking of weakness to the hinges. Leather corners have some surface scuffs. Mild shelf wear. Spines are uniformly toned to a dark red and all lack the title and volume number labels. Bindings tight and text very clean, bright and unmarked. We treat all fine bindings with Talas leather conditioner.Johnson & Boswell RGR.
Seller: Andre Strong Bookseller, Blue Hill, ME, U.S.A.
Price: US$366.33 + shipping
Description: Five Volumes. Hardback, Tall 8vo. approx 8.5 x 5 inches. In brown full calf leather bindings; with gilt paneled boards, raised banding, gilt lettering and full gilt floral decorations. Marbled page edges and endpapers. In very good conditions. Some minor light handling marks to boards. Some areas of rubbing to edges, with some small surface chips to leather. Vol.5 with larger surface chip to front board. Mild foxing to frontis plates with darkening and some offsetting to title page opposite. Some odd areas of foxing to pages (v.1. p.1, p456.) Darkening to map and Round Robin plates, with darkening and foxing to adjacent pages. Otherwise pages are bright and clean. Else very good clean and tight copies. 726pp. Each volume illustrated with an engraved frontis portrait, folding map of Scotland in Vol.2 with double page plate in Vol.3 ?Round Robin.?
Seller: PROCTOR / THE ANTIQUE MAP & BOOKSHOP, DORCHESTER, United Kingdom
Price: US$384.25 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A bright set of The Life of Samuel Johnson by Boswell, edited by John Wilson Croker. 5 Volumes, complete. With a Hedges & Smith bookseller's label on the front board of volume 1. On Croker"s edition of Boswell"s Life of Johnson, it is commented that, "In 1831 Croker published a new edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson including the Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, which was vindictively attacked by Macaulay in the Edinburgh Review, but which remained the best edition until.the work of George Birkbeck Hill" and that his research has been invaluable to later historians. (DNB) Dr Samuel Johnson, 1709 1784, was an English author. Beginning as a Grub Street journalist, he made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, novelist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. Johnson was a devout Anglican and political conservative. Samuel Johnson is probably most famous for his dictionary. James Boswell, 1740 1795, was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for his biography of Samuel Johnson. His name has passed into the English language as a term (Boswell, Boswellian, Boswellism) for a constant companion and observer. John Wilson Croker, 1780 1857, was a British statesman and author. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated in 1800. Immediately afterwards he entered Lincoln's Inn, and in 1802 he was called to the Irish bar. His interest in the French Revolution led him to collect a large number of valuable documents on the subject, now in the British Museum. In 1809 Croker was appointed as secretary to the Admiralty. Many of his political speeches were published in pamphlet form. He was for many years one of the leading contributors on literary and historical subjects to the Quarterly Review, with which he had been associated from its foundation. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography comments that, "He had a wide appreciation of all varieties of literature and art, which made him a valuable intermediary between the politicians and the public, and he was an able writer, lucid, fluent, and always well informed." In the original publisher's cloth binding. There is wear to the extremities, including bumping and discolouration to the boards. The spine labels have some small sections missing, as shown above. The inner hinges of volumes 1, 4 and 5 are strained. Internally firmly bound. Pages are generally bright with occasional spotting. There are institutional labels on the front pastedown, with institutional ink stamps to the verso of the title page, and the final page of text, in each volume. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$480.32 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Five volumes. Each volumes is somewhat worn to corners and gutters. Volume 1 has 1" split to top of front gutter with a rather clumsy repair to top of spine, attempting to retain an area of 1/2 centimetre loss. Volume 2 has 11/2 centimetre split to top of rear gutter. Volume 5 has small area of loss to top of spine. Some areas of minor foxing. Front free end paper volume 1 bears an inscription " To Mrs Bruce from her long obliged and sincerely attached friend John Murray". All edges gilt.
Seller: Webbooks, Wigtown, Wigtown, United Kingdom
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Complete five volume set bound in full calf. Decorated with gilt outer edges, lining and titling on spine. Spine with five bands has title set into red and green labels. Full marbled text block and matching endpapers. Different b/w frontis for each volume and thin blue ribbon sewn-in. Several illustrative plates and folding maps through volumes. Books remain in very good condition- all bindings are securely attached and square, text unmarked. Bookplate on front pastedown of each. Leather is worn around edges with corners bumped to varying degrees. Bit of cracking in labels. Volume 3 crown crushed at front corner and volume 1 ribbon has broken off. Overall a lovely set, presenting very well with bright spine gilding.
Seller: Chamblin Bookmine, Jacksonville, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$576.39 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: James Boswell's famous biography of one of the most influential literary figures in history, Samuel Johnson. With engraved frontispieces to each volume, including a folding map to volume III. New edition, with numerous additions and noted by John Wilson Croker. John Wilson Croker, 1780-1857, was a politician and writer. In 1831 Croker published a new edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson including the Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, which was vindictively attacked by Macaulay in the Edinburgh Review, but which remained the best edition until superseded by the work of George Birkbeck Hill -DNB Complete in five volumes. In full calf bindings. Externally, smart, though with some rubbing to the extremities and a few marks. Loss to the spine labels. Three joints are starting, with three hinges strained. Ink signatures to front pastedowns and front free-endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are generally bright and clean, with just some offsetting from the frontispieces and the occasional instance of foxing. Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$640.43 + shipping
Description: A new edition with numerous additions and notes by John Wilson Croker Vol 1 pp 534, Vol 2 pp 571, Vol 3 pp 565, Vol 4 pp 559, Vol 5 pp 551 Original half calf bindings marble boards, all edges are marble. Very attractive set in excellent condition.
Seller: St Marys Books And Prints, Stamford, United Kingdom
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First printing of the Croker edition. Five volumes: lvi, 532; 571; 565; 559; 551. Three quarter contemporary leather. Minor splitting at some hinges, but holding and strong. Former owner's bookplate in each volume. A very attractive set.
Seller: Barry Cassidy Rare Books, Sacramento, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Description: First Crocker edition, 5 volumes, 8vo, each volume with engraved frontispiece, plus the round-robin plate and a map of the Hebrides; contemporary half tan calf over marbled boards, maroon and brown morocco labels on gilt-decorated spines; light wear to extremities, upper joint of vol. 1 rubbed but firm, lower corner of vol. 3 bumped, a near fine copy. This edition still stands as a monument of Johnsonian scholarship; but it was badly edited and much (famously) condemned by Macaulay. Seeing the problem, Murray hastily engaged Wright to do a make-over and republished it in 1835. Pottle 91: The publication of this remarkable edition opens an entirely new era in the history of Boswell's book."
Seller: Rulon-Miller Books (ABAA / ILAB), St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.
Price: US$845.37 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The first edition of Croker's influential edition of Boswell's famous biography in a calf binding. Complete in Five Volumes. A New Edition. With Numerous Additions and Notes, by John Wilson Croker, LL.D. F. R. S. With Mrs Nathaniel Hibbert bookplate to the front pastedowns, with Emily Hibbert ink signatures to the title pages. John Wilson Croker, 1780-1857, was a politician and writer. "In 1831 Croker published a new edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson including the Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, which was vindictively attacked by Macaulay in the Edinburgh Review, but which remained the best edition until superseded by the work of George Birkbeck Hill" -DNB. In full calf bindings, rebacked with the original boards, and the original spine laid down. Externally, slightly rubbed. Some hinges have been reinforced. The other hinges are slightly strained. Internally, firmly bound, generally bright, with a few spots to the first and last few pages as usual. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
James Boswell; John Wilson Croker. The Life of Samuel Johnson. John Murray, London, 1831.
Price: US$960.65 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A five volume set of James Boswell's biography of the life of Samuel Johnson, in a uniform leather binding. A beautifully bound five volume set of the famous biography 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' by James Boswell Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was an essayist, critic and novelist, compiler of the first Dictionary of the English Language and subject of Boswell's famous biography. Quite a celebrity during his own life, he is now regarded one of the foremost critics of his time with a lasting influence on subsequent generations, including T. S. Eliot. Johnson also significantly altered styles of travel and biographical writing. James Boswell (1740-95) is best known for his extensive journals that covered his travels, and conversations with many of the great and the good of his day. He was great friends with Samuel Johnson and upon Johnson's death became his biographer. In full calf binding. Externally smart. There is some wear to the extremities including marks to the boards, bumping to the corners and scuffing to the leather. Two volumes have been rebacked with new spines and title labels. The other three volumes have split hinges, loose title labels with some loss and greater wear to the spine. There is a personalised bookplate on the front pastedown of each volume and a Ex Libris Universitatis Bristolliensis plate on each endpaper. Internally, generally firmly bound. Pages are generally clean with the odd brown spot or handling mark. The spotting is worst on the first and last few pages of each volume. There is a discreet library stamp on the bottom of the title page of each volume, and a shelf sticker at the bottom of each front pastedown. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$1055.00 + shipping
Description: 5 Volumes. 8vo. folding engraved map, 1 folding plate, 5 frontis. portraits. contemporary calf, rebacked with spines mounted (bindings somewhat worn but solid, corners knocked, several labels chipped, offsetting on titles). First Edition Edited by John Wilson Croker. "The publication of this remarkable edition opens an entirely new era in the history of Boswells book The new materials which Croker collected far exceed in bulk and intrinsic importance the contributions to the exegesis of Boswell made by any other editor. In the first place, he unearthed and printed for the first time about one hundred new letters of Johnson; a larger number than had previously been published by any other one except Mrs. Piozzi and Boswell, or than has been published by any one since, not excepting Dr. Hill ". (Pottle) NCBEL II 1214. Pottle 91. cfGrolier, One Hundred Books Famous In English Literature, 65.
Seller: D & E LAKE LTD. (ABAC/ILAB), Toronto, ON, Canada
Price: US$1200.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo (23 cm); 5 volumes. Extra-illustrated with 197 (give or take) black-and-white engravings (some folding) and 16 color stipple engravings including portraits, facsimiles, scenes, and a map. Handsomely re-cased in 20th-century tan buckram with leather labels on spines titled in gilt. Some offsetting onto text pages from opposing plates, but otherwise the text is in excellent condition. Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson is a book that names names. Johnson, during his long life, came into contact with virtually everyone in British society who left a footprint, and Boswell names them all. John Wilson Croker's edition of Boswell's great biography-offered here in its initial printing-inspired something of a fashion for collectors to gather up printed portraits of the figures named in the biography, and have them bound into their copies of Croker's Boswell opposite the pages where the figure is named or discussed. The majority of the portraits, scenes, facsimiles, and maps in this copy date from the first quarter of the 19th century, while a few were printed in the late 1700s and the most recent ones date from the 1840s. Celebrity portraits include those of Johnson, Boswell, Hester Lynch Piozzi, Richardson, Rousseau, Sterne, Catherine the Great, Leibnitz, Byron, Swift, Joseph Banks, Voltaire, Madame de Sévigné, Captain Cook, Thomas Gray, John Donne, Adam Smith, Walter Scott, Joseph Addison, Thomas Brown, Montaigne, Drake, Milton, and many, many, many others.
Seller: Rodger Friedman Rare Book Studio, ABAA, Tuxedo, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$1200.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition thus. Bound in half brown calf over brown linen boards, spine in six compartments separated by raised bands, gilt lettering and borders in three compartments, gilt borders in remainder and on covers, t.e.g., light brown endpapers. Original cloth spine and covers bound in volume one. Illustrated with engraved portraits on each frontispiece, fold-out map in volume two, fold-out "Round Table" in volume three. John Wilson Croker (1780-1857), was a British statesman and author. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated in 1800. Immediately afterwards he entered Lincoln's Inn, and in 1802 he was called to the Irish bar. His interest in the French Revolution led him to collect a large number of valuable documents on the subject, now in the British Museum. In 1809 Croker was appointed as secretary to the Admiralty. Many of his political speeches were published in pamphlet form. He was for many years one of the leading contributors on literary and historical subjects to the Quarterly Review, with which he had been associated from its foundation. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography comments that, "He had a wide appreciation of all varieties of literature and art, which made him a valuable intermediary between the politicians and the public, and he was an able writer, lucid, fluent, and always well informed." "In 1831 Croker published a new edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson including the Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, which was vindictively attacked by Macaulay in the Edinburgh Review, but which remained the best edition until superseded by the work of George Birkbeck Hill" - DNB. [Pottle 91]. Very ligh shelf-wear at head of spine in volume three, else fine; unmarked, seemingly unread, tight, hinges strong, square, and clean. A large, heavy set (12 pounds) - additional shipping charges may apply. NEAR FINE. . 8vo 8" - 9" tall. 532; 571; 565; 559; 551 pp
Seller: Round Table Books, LLC, Palatine, IL, U.S.A.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: THIS COMPLETE FIVE VOLUME SET IS IN NEAR FINE CONDITION BEAUTIFULLY BOUND BY MORRELL IN FULL FINE CALF WITH BRIGHT GILT RULE TO BOARDS, SIX COMPARTMENTS AND FIVE RAISED BANDS TO SPINE WITH BRIGHT GILT DETAILS AND TITLE. BINDING AND HINGES ARE VERY GOOD. NO LOOSE OR MISSING PAGES, PAGES ARE LIGHTLY BROWNED AS EXPECTED WITH AGE, WITHOUT MARKS, FOXING THROUGHOUT. FOLD OUT PLATES. BOOKS MEASURE 9.25"x5.5". 190 YEARS OLD. A SCARCE SET IN GREAT CONDITION.
Seller: Reagan's Rare Books, Moseley, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$1973.26 + shipping
Description: Very Good. Five (5) volumes, octavo; engraved frontispiece in each volume. Bound by Morrell in polished calf, gilt-decorative spines, red and green leather labels, ruled covers and dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. A tight, bright set. Sprache: Englisch Gewicht in Gramm: 8550
Seller: Antiquariat an der Uni Muenchen, München, Germany