- 61
Locke, John.
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
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Description
- An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. [Elizabeth Holt] for Thomas Basset, and sold by Edw[ard] Mory, 1690
- PAPER
folio (321 x 192mm.), title within double-rule border, typographical ornament on title, contemporary speckled calf, spine in six compartments decorated in gilt, front endpaper loose, tiny tear to edge of Nn2, tiny edge tears to final few leaves, joints split, spine worn and slightly chipped
Literature
PMM 164; Wing L2739; Attig 228; Grolier English 36 ; Pforzheimer 600
Condition
Front endpaper loose, tiny tear to edge of Nn2, small internal tear at Gg1 not affecting text, tiny hole at Yy3 also not affecting text, tiny edge tears to final few leaves, joints split, spine worn and slightly chipped.
"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."
"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 foundation of classical British empiricism and the "analytic philosophy of the mind",
First edition of the most important work by arguably the greatest, and certainly the most influential English philosopher of all time.
Locke worked for nearly two decades on his investigation of the certainty and the adequacy of human knowledge, concluding that "though knowledge must necessarily fall short of complete comprehension, it can at least be 'sufficient'; enough to convince us that we are not at the mercy of pure chance, and can to some extent control our own destiny" (PMM). The significance of Locke's Essay was immediately recognized: it quickly ran to several editions and was popularized on the Continent by French translations.