[Edward Gibbon] | Histoire des révolutions de la Haute Allemagne, Zurich, 1766, 2 vols, Gibbon's copy

Edward Gibbon—[W. de Philibert]

Histoire des révolutions de la Haute Allemagne. Zurich: Heidegger & Companie, 1766

2 volumes, 12mo (165 x 95mm.), half-titles, contemporary smooth calf, spines gilt in compartments with red and green morocco lettering-pieces, upper joint of volume I cracked, lower joint weak

FROM THE LIBRARY OF EDWARD GIBBON (1737-1794). This book is listed on folio 38 of his library catalogue, written by him in 1777 when he was living in Bentinck Street (BL Add Ms 46141), before moving to Lausanne in 1794. As usual, the armorial bookplate appears in both volumes but the label stamped with his name only appears in the first volume.

LITERATURE:

Keynes, The library of Edward Gibbon, p. 219

PROVENANCE:

Edward Gibbon (1737-1794), armorial bookplate in both volumes and his stamped booklabel in volume 1; purchased in Lausanne just after Gibbon's death by William Beckford; gifted by Beckford to his physician, Dr Frederic Schöll (who died in Lausanne in 1835); sold (as part of the library) to John Walter Halliday, then living near Geneva; sold (with the house and its contents) to the Bedot family; Maurice Bedot (died 1927); acquired by Bader, Genevan bookseller, 1929; sale of books from Gibbon's library in Lausanne, Sotheby's, 20 December 1934, part of lot 174, bought by Rogers; Hugh Walpole, Brackenburn, booklabel; Maggs, catalogue 770 (1947) and 882 (1962); sale, Sotheby's, 11 December 1997, lot 111