Thomas Jefferson's Correspondence, Four Volumes, 1829 

Jefferson, Thomas. Ed. by Thomas Jefferson Randolph. Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson. Charlottesville: F. Carr and Co., 1829. 8vo, leather with black leather spine label for title, black leather label for volume no., gilt lettering on spine; vol. 1, frontis opposite half title, x, 466pp, 4 folding pages of facsimile of Jefferson's copy of "Declaration;" vol. 2, iv, 500pp; vol. 3, iv, 519pp; vol. 4, iv, 532pp.

This was the first publication of the ever-popular Jefferson's papers after his death in 1826. It was edited by Jefferson's oldest grandson along with his mother (Jefferson's daughter), in an attempt by the family to establish control of Jefferson's legacy, and, in the process, offset some of Jefferson's debts. They were not very successful at the latter. The family was able to "pick and choose" which documents and letters to include, and assiduously avoided controversial ones (slavery, etc.) in their efforts to control how history would judge this founding father. (Some information from monticello.org.)

Generally very good. Shelf wear to bindings, especially along top and lower edges. Moderate foxing. Occasional pages are toned, others like new, depending on paper used (with nearly 2000 pages, it is highly variable). Edges of folding documents a bit frayed, but does not impact text. Vol. IV, p. 531 and folding documents almost fully separated from spine (hanging on by single string).