Dibdin’s Great Work - Bibliomania
“Book Madness” - A Bibliographical Classic - The Best Issue
In a Superb Binding of Full Morocco Gilt Extra by Bertrand
Dibdin, Thomas Frognall. THE BIBLIOMANIA; OR, BOOK - MADNESS; A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ROMANCE. To Which Are Now Added Preliminary Observations, and a Supplement Including a Key to the Assumed Characters in the Drama (London: Henry G. Bohn, 1842) First of the New and Improved edition created by Dibdin. Illustrated throughout with fine engravings, decorated in red and black. Thick 8vo (9.75” tall), bound in magnificent full red crushed morocco by Adolph Bertrand. Elaborately decorated on the spine with full gilt paneled compartments between raised bands gilt, the covers framed with triple gilt rules, exquisite extra gilt doublures, marbled endleaves, top edges gilt. xiv,617, index, A brilliant copy, in superb condition, the binding remarkably well preserved.
ONE OF THE CORE TEXT OF BOOK COLLECTING AND THIS COPY IN MAGNIFICENT RED MOROCCO BY BERTRAND. This new edition, written 30 years after the first, adds“Preliminary observations, and a supplement including a key to the assumed characters in the drama.”
In his first edition, Dibdin presumed to more substantially treat a subject which had been addressed earlier in 1809 in verse form by Dr. Ferriar. He proposed to Heber, to whom the verse had been addressed, to accept another, but in prose. ‘It was accordingly settled that Dibdin’s performance should be addressed to the same individual, in a small octavo volume, of a moderate price. It was written “calamo currentissimo,” within a lunar month, and had the effect of producing much innocent mirth, and exciting a general curiosity after rare and precious volumes. The profits of the sale about covered the expenses of a week’s housekeeping.’ But the book has remained a favorite for two centuries and is now presumed to be a classic part of any collector’s library. |
