Elements of the Law Relating to Insurances. Edinburgh, 1787

Edinburgh: J. Bell, 1787. Bradley's Copy. Owned by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Joseph P. Bradley Millar, John [1760-1796]. Elements of the Law Relating to Insurances. Edinburgh: Printed for J. Bell, 1787. xi, 560, [6] pp. With errata leaf. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5"). Contemporary speckled calf with recent cloth rebacking, retained lettering piece to spine. Light rubbing to boards, two tiny cracks in joints, moderate rubbing to board edges, corners bumped and worn, hinges, which are reinforced with cloth, starting, faint ink property stamps to pastedowns, faint offsetting to endleaves. Moderate toning to interior, negligible light soiling to a few leaves, ownership signature of Joseph P. Bradley, dated 1839, to title page, contemporary newspaper clipping (dated August 12, 1797) tipped onto p. 501. $1,500. * Only edition. "This work furnished, when it first appeared, a good exposition of the then existing Law of Insurance. The author collected what was to be found in Scotch Decisions, relevant to his subject, and examined and commented upon the English authorities with considerable acuteness. 'He appears to have been equally familiar with the Continental Civilians, and to have discussed the principles of Insurance with uncommon judgment and freedom of inquiry.' The volume, however, never obtained a great share of public favor, and is now rarely consulted" (Marvin). Millar was the son of the jurist John Millar [1735-1801]. Joseph P. Bradley [1813-1892], the former owner of our copy, was an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1870 to 1892. Admitted to the bar in 1839, Bradley also worked as an actuary for the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company and took an interest in patent, commercial and corporate cases during his career. OCLC locates 8 copies of this title in law libraries. Marvin, Legal Bibliography 513 (citing 20 North American Review 71). English Short-Title Catalogue T112830.…