Reverend Edward ForsterBiblio.com
The Arabian Nights
1802rif. 941P7London: William Miller; W. Bulmer 1802. First edition. Leather. Good. 10" by 6". Robert Smirke. The first edition of Edward Forster's important translation of 'Arabian Nights' illustrated by painter Robert Smirke. The complete five volume first edition thus large paper edition.Illustrated with three plates to Volume I five plates each to Volumes II III and V and four plates to Volume IV. Collated bound without two plates to Volume I and one plate to Volume IV. Additionally bound without the half-titles.These plates are the work of painter and illustrator Robert Smirke whose paintings works were often engraved and used to illustrated editions of such works as 'Don Quixote' and 'Gil Blas'.In this edition cleric and miscellany writer Edward Forster has translated Antoine Galland's enormously popular French edition of the tales into English.'Arabian Nights' or 'One Thousand and One Nights' is a collection of folk tales from the Middle East. It was collected over centuries with the roots of the tales being traced from Greek Indian Arabic Persian Turkish and Jewish folklore. The tales are being told by Scheherazade to the King Shahryar in a bid to save her life. After discovering his wife was cheating on him he killed her and vowed to marry a new virgin every day and then behead them the next. In this vein he had killed one-thousand and one women before marrying Scheherazade. Scheherazade entices the King by telling him a story on their first night together pausing halfway through as the sun came up. The King being absorbed by the story keeps Scheherazade alive eager to hear more from her.Bookplate of William Russell Griffiths to the front paste downs. In a full straight grain morocco binding. Externally rubbed. Minor bumping to the extremities and to the head and tail of the spines resulting in a small amount of loss and lifting to the tail of the spines. A few light marks to the boards and spines. Front hinge of Volume I is strained. Front hinge of Volumes II and V are starting. Bookplate to the front paste downs. Tidemark to the rear endpaper and rear paste down of Volume I. Internally firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned and clean with a few scattered spots. Repair to the final leaf of text to Volume I resulting in loss to about half of the page. Good William Miller; W. Bulmer hardcover
Rooke Books · Regno Unito280,00 £≈ 334,42 €
