Lot 223D email save

LOUDON, Archibald. A Selection of Some of the Mos

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Carlisle: A. Loudon, 1808; 1811. 2 volumes, 12mo (160 x 100 mm). Full-page woodcut illustration. Publisher's ad on the terminal page of vol. 1. Contemporary non-uniform sheep. Housed in cloth chemises and a morocco-backed slipcase. Condition: first three leaves of vol. 1 torn, vol. 1 lacks endpapers, terminal leaf of vol. 2 torn, other tears, foxing and staining; usual wear, some cracking to the vol. 1 rear cover. Provenance: early owners's signatures on titles (C. West and D. Denny). notoriously rare compilation of indian captivities, published on the pennsylvania frontier: "one of the rarest books of its kind" (Church). Included are the indian war narratives of Peter Williamson, Jackson Johonnot, Mary Jordon, Robert Eastburn, and Benjamin Gilbert, among others. Field, the noted 19th century bibliographer of Indian books, knew of only three perfect copies. "The popularity of its subject, which caused its constant perusal at country firesides, combined with the fragility of the soft cotton paper upon which it is printed, insured its rapid destruction" (Field). In addition, the time elapsed between the two volumes resulted in few complete sets. The last set to appear at auction, the Siebert set, was assembled from five different incomplete copies of the book. Renowned for his attention to condition, that Siebert owned such a copy speaks to the rarity of the work. Prior to that set, the only other to appear in the auction rooms was at the Thomas W. Streeter sale in 1967. Ayer 188; Church 1302; Field 954; Howes L487 "c"; Sabin 42165; Siebert Sale 446; Streeter Sale 993.

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