1760 ❧ The finest typographical achievement of the Strawberry Hill press. LUCAN, MARCUS ANNAEUS LUCANUS. 39-65 AD. M. Annaei Lucani Pharsalia Cum Notis Hugonis Grotii, et Richardi Bentleii. [Edited by Richard Cumberland]. Twickenham: Strawberry-Hill, 1760. 4to (294 x 231 mm). Title-page with copper-engraved vignette by Charles Grignion, engraved vignette by Grignion at the head of the prefatory note. Intermittent browning. 19th-century full straight-grained green morocco, covers framed by an elegant multi-line gilt rule and repeating geometric wave roll; spine in six compartments with raised bands, heavily gilt-tooled with fine small floral sprays and pointillé work, lettered in gilt, turn-ins gilt, edges gilt by John Clarke. on the title page depicting the armor and trophies of war with Strawberry Hill House visible in the landscape background; THE FIRST EDITION OF THE CELEBRATED BENTLEY LUCAN, AND ARGUABLY THE FINEST TYPOGRAPHICAL ACHIEVEMENT OF HORACE WALPOLE'S PRIVATE PRESS, limited to an edition of only 500 copies. The printing was a monumental and agonizingly slow task for Walpole's printer, William Robinson, taking over two years to finally complete. It represents the historic marriage of classical Roman epic poetry with the textual scholarship of two monumental figures: Hugo Grotius and Britain's formidable classical scholar Richard Bentley, whose notes were posthumously organized and prepared for the press by his nephew, Richard Cumberland. According to A. T. Hazen, the work is 'perhaps the most distinguished piece of printing to come from the press of Strawberry-Hill'. In a meticulous binding by John Clarke. ESTC T136531; Hazen Strawberry Hill Press, 7; Rothschild 2486. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing