THE RAPE OF THE LOCK. An Heroi-Comical Poem In Five Cantos.
London: Leonard Smithers, 1896. First Edition. Hardcover. Quarto (4to). Very good+ condition. Item #020610
xiii, [i] blank, 47 pages of text. Original blue-green cloth binding, with beveled edges, and gilt stamped decoration by Beardsley. Minor shelfwear; protected in custom-fitted archival Mylar. Complete with seven black-and-white plates printed on Japanese vellum and in-text illustrations. Frontis tissue-guard has caused minor toning to the title page. This copy has "Leonard Smithers 1896" printed at the foot of spine, indicating that it is one of five hundred copies of the first issue of the first edition, following an edition of 25 copies printed on vellum. The second issue of the first edition, also published in 500 copies, is differentiated by the inclusion of a minor addition to the publisher's name printed at the foot of the spine. Previous owner's bookplate neatly on the inside front cover. The text is clean and unmarked. First edition, first issue.
Price: $1,500.00