London: William Miller 1807 . First edition. Leather. Very Good. 6.5" by 4.5". John Augustus Atkinson. The first edition of William Henry Ireland's reinterpretation of the medieval German allegorical poem. The first edition of Shakespearian forger William Henry Ireland's version of Sebastian Brant's satirical allegory.Illustrated with a folding hand coloured frontispiece by English artist John Augustus Atkinson and a further vignette illustration to the title page.A smart first edition from the forger of would-be Shakespearean documents and plays known also for his gothic novels.Ireland reinterprets Brant's late fifteenth century work. Rebacked in quarter morocco with half calf original boards laid down. Significant rubbing to boards. Hinges strained but firmly held. Lacking the front free endpaper. Internally firmly bound. Pages a touch age toned with spotting to title page and the odd light handling mark. Very Good William Miller hardcover
New York: James W. Bouton 1874. Hardcover - as published. good-chipping to the spine label faded. Binding weak in a few places. Green cloth. 317pp. James W. Bouton, hardcover
London: Vernor Hood & Sharpe 1808. Hardback. Very Good Indeed. 6" by 4". E. Bird. A nicely bound copd of William Henry Ireland's poem 'The Fisher Boy' published after his Shakespeare forgery scandal under a pseudonym. A poem by William Henry Ireland about a young fisher boy divided up into four parts each part focussing on each season of the year. William Henry Ireland is best known for his Shakespeare forgery scandal. His father was a collector of antiquities and of Shakespeare plays and relics. Ireland wishing to impress his father forged documents with Shakespeare's signature. He carried on presenting forged relics of Shakespeare's to his father before becoming bolder and producing a whole new play 'Vortigern and Rowena' statin that it was Shakespeare's. Just a couple of days before the play was due to be produced Edmond Malone published a study into the play denouncing its authenticity whereupon everyone realised that it was a fake. With an illustrated title page and four plates. Illustrated by Edward Bird a genre painter. In paper covered boards. Externally generally smart. Light marking to the boards heavier to the rear board. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto to the front free endpaper 'Martha S. the gift of her dear Paper July 7th 1841'. Internally firmly bound. Pages are bright with some spots to the plates and to the pages facing the plates. Very Good Indeed Vernor, Hood, & Sharpe hardcover
London England: J. and J. Boydell; London 1793. Second Edition. Hardcover. Good. The first edition was published in 1771 This is volume 2 only. Quarto 10 1/4" tall 357 pages 45 plates complete-43 listed plus 2 three-quarter leather over marbled boards. A good copy overall generally clean but shelf worn hinges cracked front cover loosening at the hinge fore-corner tips worn through to boards marbling faded worn and stained; internal binding tight paper just lightly yellowed with a damp stain to the bottom margins of the frontmatter not affecting text or illustration. Engraved plates bright. The condition of this volume is well worth the cost of restoration. J. and J. Boydell; London hardcover