The Workes of Our Ancient and Learned English Poet, Geffrey Chaucer, Newly Printed
by Chaucer, Geoffrey
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Fine
- Seller
-
New York, New York, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Printed by Adam Islip, 1602 Edited by Thomas Speght and revised with the help of Francis Thynne. Illustrated with two title pages, John Speed's full-page portrait of Chaucer with genealogical border, woodcut initials, ornaments, and head-and-tail pieces throughout, and knight and lance woodcut to Fol. 1. Folio. Second Speght edition (Seventh collected edition overall), with errata leaf. Finely bound by W. Pratt in red morocco, boards triple-ruled in gilt, spine with six raised bands, spine lettered, ruled and decorated in gilt, all edges gilt, gilt turn-ins, red marbled endpapers, 19th century Alexander Young bookplate to front pastedown, and 19th century Parliament member John Burns ownership signature to verso of front free endpaper. About fine, with light rubbing to joints and corners, subtle repair to first few leaves, with small chips neatly closed, Chaucer portrait supplied from another copy, and repair to lower gutter of last leaf. Overall, a stately example, attractively bound with exceptionally clean pages. STC 5080. This collection of Chaucer's works includes The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde, The Legend of Good Women, The House of Fame, The Testament of Love, assorted ballads, and many others. Chaucer's best-known work, The Canterbury Tales (1392), is a collection of 14th century short stories concerning the story-telling contest of a group of traveling pilgrims written in Middle English during the Hundred Years' War. Chaucer is widely recognized as the "Father of English Literature" for his pioneering use of English vernacular and his novelistic innovations. He was the first literary giant to be buried in what is now the Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey, resting place of such luminaries as Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Thomas Hardy. Thomas Speght's first edition of this collected works was published in 1598 and drew heavily from John Stow's 1561 edition. Notably, Speght's edition included one of the first printed biographies of Chaucer and was the definitive source for facts about the author's life until the mid-19th century. It also included an extensive glossary for words that, by the late 16th century, had fallen out of use. For this second edition, Speght addressed some of the criticisms levied at his first edition by Francis Thynne, the son of William Thynne, a former Chaucer editor. According to Pforzheimer, "This edition ... is the earliest in which thorough punctuation was attempted, and in many other ways it is a distinct improvement upon Speght's first edition." Additionally, two new works, Jack Uplande and La Priere de Nostre Dame, were added, and the glossary was updated significantly. . Hard Cover. Fine.
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Details
- Bookseller
- B & B Rare Books, Ltd., ABAA (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- GCH004
- Title
- The Workes of Our Ancient and Learned English Poet, Geffrey Chaucer, Newly Printed
- Author
- Chaucer, Geoffrey
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Publisher
- London: Printed by Adam Islip
- Date Published
- 1602
- Bookseller catalogs
- Fiction; British Literature; Fine Bindings; Early Printed Books;
Terms of Sale
B & B Rare Books, Ltd., ABAA
~ All items are guaranteed as described. We recommend requesting pictures prior to purchasing. ~ Any items may be returned within seven days of receipt and in the same condition as originally sent. ~ We ship with FedEx, UPS and USPS. Please let us know if you prefer another shipping. ~ New York State are required to add 8.875% sales tax.
About the Seller
B & B Rare Books, Ltd., ABAA
Biblio member since 2006
New York, New York
About B & B Rare Books, Ltd., ABAA
Selling First Editions and Rare Books from all centuries. Specializing in 19th and 20th century literature, modern first editions, signed and inscribed books, early children's literature, and poetry.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Gutter
- The inside margin of a book, connecting the pages to the joints near the binding.
- Raised Band(s)
- Raised bands refer to the ridges that protrude slightly from the spine on leather bound books. The bands are created in the...
- Errata
- Errata: aka Errata Slip A piece of paper either laid in to the book correcting errors found in the printed text after being...
- Folio
- A folio usually indicates a large book size of 15" in height or larger when used in the context of a book description. Further,...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- Leaves
- Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages." A leaf is a single sheet...
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...