Search Results: First Editions from Merchants Rare Books

London: Harding, Mavor, & Lepard, 1823 - 1834. FIRST EDITION / FIRST PRINTING. Portraits of Illustrious Personages of Great Britain. Engraved from Authentic Pictures in the Galleries of the Nobility and the Public Collections of the Country. With Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Their Lives and Actions. By Edmund Lodge, Esq. Written in pencil on the front end paper: 'The finest collection of steel engravings ever complied.' All plates are printed on india paper. 240 engraved portraits. FOLIO-SIZED. These measure 12 5/8 inches tall. Roughly 17 inches of shelf space. These are very large and impressive books. These are large heavy books, and weigh roughly 5 pounds each, unpacked. Bound in thick morocco leather. Raised hubs. Gilded spines. the top edges are gilded. Marbled end papers. Printed on thick quality paper. With 3 inch wide margins, and thick black ink. Extremely high quality, detailed steel engraved portraits. All portraits are present. VERY GOOD condition. The leather is very supple… Read More

[THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.]
True first edition.

Mémoires De La Vie Privée Écrits Par Lui-Même, Et Adressées À Son Fils ; Suivis D'un Précis Historique De Sa Vie Politique, Et De Plusieurs Pièces, Relative À Ce Père De La Liberté

This book is the first edition of the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

Printed in French.

Printed in 1791.

The first edition was in French. This book is printed in French. This is correct.
The first English edition of 1793 is the first English edition, it is not the first edition. It was directly translated from this 1791 French book.

The American Edition from 1793 was translated from this book. The true first edition of the Autobiography was in French.

The binding is original.
Leather supple. Hinges sound. Quality rag paper.
Title page margin was professionally conservated, not affecting text.
First few pages have ink stains at the top as shown in the pictures.
Binding is original. Text is complete. The blank end papers look like… Read More

The Koran.
Printed in 1649.
First English Edition.
Prior to this book the Koran had never before been translated into English.
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Full title:
The Alcoran Of Mahomet, Translated Out Of Arabique Into French; By The Sieur Du Ryer, Lord Of Malezair, And Resident For The King Of France, At Alexandria. And Newly Englished, For The Satisfaction Of All That Desire To Look Into The Turkish Vanities. [The Koran].
By Du Ryer, Andre

Considered an inferior translation. The later translation by Sale is held in higher regard.
Still, this 1649 book is the first edition of the Koran ever translated into the English language.
The spine is not original.
The covers are original.
Text is complete.
This book measure approximately 7 inches tall.
This is a small book.
Quality rag paper is still supple, and this book can be read.
LONDON, 1649.
FIRST ENGLISH TRANSLATION.
SMALL OCTAVO, CONTEMPORARY BOARDS (WITH SOME WEAR) WITH A NEW SPINE, NEW ENDPAPERS. THE BOOK WAS FIRST TRANSLATED OUT OF ARABIC INTO FRENCH BY THE… Read More