About this Item
A beautifully bound, scarce collected edition of Ben Jonson's works. In a fantastic recent binding, with a custom slipcase.From the library of Allen and Beryl Freer. The Freers were avid art collectors, and acquired quite the selection over the twentieth century, of works mostly bought from the artists. Allen organised many exhibitions of artists he admired and published several works on art. With Allen Freer's bookplate to the front pastedown. Freer's handwriting to the front free endpaper, 'Ex collection H J Massingham'.ESTC reference no: S112456. Greg 1073; STC 14753Collated, lacking A8 (further celebrations of Ben Jonson) and B1 (Title page to 'Every Man in His Humour.'). With the title page engraved and signed 'Guliel[mus] Hole fecit' and the frontispiece signed 'Ro: Vaughan fecit' provided in a very good facsimile on laid paper. Collated using The BL's copy.With the signatures: A3-A7, B2-B6, C-2K6, 2L4, A-T6.This second collected edition of Jonson's works was entered to R. Bishop on the 4th March 1639.Separate title page for 'Every Man Out of His Humour' dated 1640; 'Cynthias Revels', dated 1640; 'Poetaster' dated 1640; 'Seianus His Fall' dated 1640; 'Volpone or The Fox a Comedy' dated 1640; 'Epicoene or The Silent Woman' dated 1640. Part 2 begins with 'Epigrammes. I. Booke' dated 1640. Separate title page to 'Part of the Kings.', dated 1640; 'Masques At Court' dated 1640;To the verso of title page is a hand-written verse which begins 'O She is wilder & more hard with all/ then bird or beast or tree or stony wall./' It is monogrammed 'W: S:'. This verse was likely written in 1660, as the excised signature at the top of the verso is dated 1660. Contemporary inscription to the tail of B4r 'John Noble His Book'.Prior owner's inscription to the title page of 'The Alchemist, a Comedy', 'The Fox the alchemist and the silent woman Elizabeth Congreve'.Excised contemporary inscription to the final leaf. Recently rebound, in a full morocco binding. Externally, excellent with minor shelfwear. Bookplate to the front pastedown. Recent ownership inscriptions to A3, A4, B4, Y4, and T6. Internally, firmly bound. Repair to the fore-edge of L6 and M1, not affecting text. Minor repair to the top corner of R4-S6 not affecting any text. Repair to 2P2 to the bottom six lines of the leaf, affecting half of several words. Repair to 2P4 affecting three lines fourteen from the bottom. Lacking A8, B1 and the title page and frontispiece are provided in facsimile. Pages are bright. Scattered spots from A-E of part II. Very Good Indeed.
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