Lot 37
  • 37

Chaucer, Geoffrey

Estimate
2,500 - 3,500 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Chaucer, Geoffrey
  • [The woorkes of Geffrey Chaucer, newly printed, with diuers addicions, whiche were neuer in printe before: with the siege and destruccion of the worthy citee of Thebes, compiled by Ihon Lidgate, Monke of Berie...] Jhon Kyngston for Jhon Wight, 1561
  • paper
folio (303 x 219mm.), edited by John Stowe, issue without illustrations in the preliminary leaves, double columns, general title with large woodcut of Chaucer's arms with text in roman (but probably a later facsimile), 'Caunterburie Tales' and 'Romaunt of the Rose' titles within woodcut borders (McKerrow and Ferguson 75), woodcut illustration for The Knight's Tale (leaf B1, first used in the 1550 edition), woodcut initials, late nineteenth-century black morocco decorated in blind, spine in six compartments lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, a few lines of later manuscript notes on U6 verso (end of The Parson's Tale), general title probably a later facsimile, final leaf of Preliminaries (Eight goodlie questions, and To the kings moste noble grace) supplied in expert pen facsimile, first three leaves of Preliminaries possibly supplied (two of them repaired at lower corners with some words supplied in expert facsimile), title page for Canterbury Tales extended (the first with some slight tears at edges, the second with neat repairs to margins), upper margins cut close in first few gatherings, a few other small marginal tears or tiny holes and some staining in the first two gatherings, some slight browning to margins of later leaves, minor tear to lower edge of 3P4, binding with some rubbing at extremities

Provenance

John Whipple Frothingham, bookplate

Literature

STC 5076; Grolier Langland to Prior 42; Pforzheimer 176; Bibliotheca Anglo-Poetica 901; Bartlett 206

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

THE EDITION OF CHAUCER'S WORKS WHICH WAS PROBABLY USED BY SHAKESPEARE AS A SOURCE FOR THE STORY OF "TROILUS AND CRESSIDA" (see Bartlett). There were two recorded issues of this date, one (STC 5075) with the title within a woodcut border (McKerrow and Ferguson 67) and another (STC 5076, as here) omitting the preliminary woodcuts (so with the preliminaries collating A6) and with the title above a large woodcut of Chaucer's arms. The traditional view was that the illustrated issue was printed first, and then the cuts omitted in the second issue when the blocks were worn out. Recently however (see David R. Carlson, "The Woodcut Illustrations in Early Printed Editions of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales", in Chaucer Illustrated: Five Hundred Years of the Canterbury Tales in Pictures, British Library, 2003) it has been contested that the printer came into possession of the cuts belatedly, and the unillustrated issue appeared first. The general title in the present copy appears to be a later facsimile, reproducing the large woodcut of Chaucer's arms, but with the wording above in roman rather than (as in the original edition) black letter (see Grolier Wither to Prior 42, also Carlson fig.15); the wording here is also "Workes" rather than "Woorkes".