The History of the World
London: Thomas and Richard Coates [William Jaggard], 1628. Fourth. Folio in full calf. Very Good. Item #214
RALEIGH, Sir Walter. History of the World. 1628, 4th Edition. Royal folio. Bound in calf and professionally recased with original leather laid on. Volume collates complete with all eight plates present as originally issued. This 1628 printing was produced a year after the death of Isaac Jaggard who inherited the press after the death of his father William (famously known for his publishing of Shakespeare’s first folio). Isaac’s widow Dorothy sold the business to brothers Thomas and Richard Coates (apprentice to William Jaggard) who had their shop on Aldersgate Street. This edition was printed on royal folio crown paper measuring 43cm x 34cm and can be easily identified by the colophon dated 1628 and VV used in place of W on the title page. Raleigh’s History was first published by William Stansbury in November 1614 without his name or portrait but with the engraved title page. The second printing was produced by Stansbury in 1617 and now included Raleigh’s portrait. To the dismay of Stansbury, the third printing was awarded to William Jaggard and produced in 1621 (two years before his ambitious first folio).
ASSOCIATIONS: Undated inscription “to Mr. Charles Owen at the first house without the postern at Aldermanbury in London.” It is possible that Charles may have been related to the 17th century Welshman and theologian John Owen (1616-1683) or his son James (1654-1706). It is said that John had his religious questions answered upon hearing a sermon preached by a stranger at the Church of St. Mary Aldermanbury. A second owner’s name, Thomas Jones, is penned on the title page as well as the blank side of The Minde of thr Fronte. This may have been the Welsh landscape painter Thomas Jones 1743-1803. An additional notation from the original endpaper has been saved and affixed to the newer 19th Century front paste down. The notation reads, in part, “Sir Walter Ralegh His history of all the World 1672” (no such edition is recorded). The name, Walter Ralegh, has been scribbled out. It likely came from the free endpaper as it has notations on both sides. The rear endpaper has a page of notes about the keeping and caring of Merlins (falcons) through the winter.
CONDITION: The binding is tight. Leather is soft. Pages have some light damp staining to the lower edge. Of the eight plates, half have archival reinforcements to folds but are not pasted down to pages as is common with many copies. Text pages are unmarked. Some wear and age toning to edges primarily limited to preliminaries and plates.
Price: $4,000.00