A Critical History of the Administration of Sir Robert Walpole

London: J. Hinton, 1743. First Edition . Full-Leather. Fair/No Jacket. Book is 7 7/8" X 5 1/4." The prior owner/collector's notes, which appear on a loose slip and are also fairly lightly pencilled on the first endsheet read as follows, "Ralph J. $65.00, Goldsmith 7961, Hanson 5686, Hollander 1376, Kress 4671." There is an erased note first pastedown. Verso of last endhseet has several letters darkly pencilled, small pencilled notation last pastedown. Below the blank last endsheet's pencilled letters is a chip of paper out of the book's field, about the size of a thumbprint. The last unpaginated sheet immediately prior to this blank endsheet is errata; this sheet is verso the last page of text, numbered 535.The text of the book begins at first page, unpaginated, (collation code B) preceeded by four pages of title page, preface, and contents. The text has no severe foxing or edge damages, remarkably legible. A few pages late in the volume have a dogeared appearance as from improper closure. Top edge is age darkened. The binding, which I assume to be original, seems supple, with a tooled front edge and gilt board edging. The spine is starting at top front as far as 1 1/2," the same at bottom, if a bit less so. While the bottom of the spine has superficial chipping, its top is notably chipped to a depth of perhaps 1/8" inch. While the interior gutters seem sound, the first and last gutters have some separation begun. The boards have customary tip bumping and abrasion. A reasonably sound, sturdy copy given its age. A photograph will soon accompany this listing.