Historical and Chronological Deduction of the Origin of Commerce,: from the Earliest Accounts, containing an History of the great commercial interests of the British Empire. To which is prefixed an Introduction, exhibiting a view of the ancient and modern state of Europe; of the importance of our Colonies; and of the Co

IMPORTANT HISTORY OF COMMERCE - THE BEST EDITION - GREATLY EXPANDED & REVISED
first edition thus revised and expanded (second overall) 4 vols. 4to. [2 (title)], (v)-lxxxviii, 556; [2 (title)], 647, [1 (blank)]; [2 (title)], 508, [59 (chronological index)], [1 (blank)], [11 (index & appendix)], [1 (blank)]; [2 (title)], iv, [4 (list of subscribers)], 718, [43 (alphabetical & chronological index)], [1 (blank)]pp., 2 folding maps, 1 frontispiece plate, 1 folding table, contemporary speckled calf, sides with a decorative gilt rolled border, spines panelled by gilt highlighted raised bands, panels gilt tooled, black morocco title labels and olive green morocco numbering labels, labels on vol. 2 renewed (very close match to originals), minor old worm trace in a few early gatherings of vol.2 very skillfully repaired, minor damps stains to margins of some leaves (mainly of terminal leaves), some minor cracking of joints sometime very skillfully refurbished. Overall a nice and a handsome copy.

ESTC t79287 SABIN 1382
Anderson's work was first published in 2 folio vols. in 1764. A prospectus for this greatly extended edition was issued on January 21, 1787 and it was thereafter issued in parts. Vols. 1-3 are dated 1787 and vol. 4 1789. There is a list of subscribers in vol. 4.Attractive copy of this "monument of industry in the form of annals, treating specially Great Britain and Ireland" [Palgrave Political Economy, v.1, p.39]. The initial work of 1764 is here greatly extended by Coombe, and, especially in this later form, it has long been valued by economic historians as an important source. Anderson worked for many years in the South Sea Company and this work is particularly notable for its accurate account of that company and the great crash of 1720. There is also considerable information on aspects of American and Canadian economic affairs such as the history of the fur trade, the fisheries of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and John Law's Mississippi scheme.