Shelley, Percy Bysshe

8vo, FIRST EDITION, THE TERRY-MARTIN COPY, without half-title as issued, with the dedication leaf ("To Harriet*****"), Shelley's imprint on title page and the final leaf intact, dark-olive morocco gilt by the club bindery (1901), finished by Leon Maillard, with green, red, and ivory morocco onlays and pointillé decoration, red morocco doublures with floral and star designs in gilt, green silk and decorated endpapers (to a leafy and floral design), all edges gilt, preserved in specially made crushed blue morocco pull-off box, neat repairs to small tears on dedication leaf and final leaf 

M.C. D. Borden, bookplate; Roderick Terry, bookplate, the sale of his library at Anderson Galleries, New York, 2 May 1934, lot 240; H. Bradley Martin, the sale of his library at Sotheby's New York, 1 May 1990, lot 3183

Ashley 5:57; Forman, Shelley 21; Granniss 15; Hayward 225; Wise Shelley pp.39-40

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing unless otherwise stated
"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."

A BEAUTIFULLY BOUND COPY OF THE AUTHOR'S REVOLUTIONARY COMBINATION OF PHILOSOPHY AND POETRY, IN UNMUTILATED STATE. Queen Mab, which prefers the impersonal concept of Necessity to the Christian notion of God, was the most widely read of Shelley's poems for many years, inspiring the Chartists and others. The work was privately printed and given to just a few of the author's friends. In most cases -- to avoid possible prosecution owing to the content -- Shelley removed the title and imprint from the last leaf. This applied even to the author's own copy (the Shelley-Brooks-Wade-Forman copy, Granniss 16) and the copy he presented to Leigh Hunt (Grannis 17). Out of around 250 copies less than twenty are thought to have survived with the original preliminary leaves. Furthermore Shelley also removed most of the dedication leaves prior to distribution, a reflection of the great crisis of his life, his separation from his wife Harriet.

"Breathing indignation against tyranny in fiercely denunciatory blank verse, and containing eloquent essay-like notes on such subjects as the evils of meat-eating and marriage, Queen Mab shows the youthful radical poet in quintessential form..." (Michael O'Neill, Oxford DNB).