[Irving, Washington- Original Boards, Very Scarce-Large Paper Edition] A Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada by Fray Antonio Agapida

Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Carey, 1929. First edition. First edition. In two volumes. First edition, large paper issue. 8vo. 311, 4 (ads); 319 pp. Original quarter light purple cloth over original boards, remnants of paper labels on spine. Very rare in original boards, only a few copies in boards have survived. The Large Paper Edition, completely uncut. With full access to the American consul's massive library of Spanish history in Madrid, Irving began working on the book, and later was invited to stay at the palace of the Duke of Gor, who gave him unfettered access to his library containing many medieval manuscripts which aided in the development of the tale. In a note to the 1850 revised edition, however, he confessed that the Jesuit priest was his own invention. He also admitted romanticizing some of the scenes and incidents of the history, but in this respect he was only doing what the Spaniards had done before. Edges rubbed, corners moderately worn, spine splitting on first volume, split on second volume but original cords holding, spine ends chipped, remnants of original printed paper labels on each spine; pp. 139/140 repaired in first volume, scattered light foxing to text in each volume, moderate to heavy foxing at pp. 170-176 in first volume; in clamshell box. All in all, a very presentable set, wholly in tact and certainly a strikingly scarce survival.