BIBLIOMANIA; or, BOOK-MADNESS: A Bibliographical Romance, in Six Parts. Illustrated with Cuts.
London: Privately printed, (1811). Second edition. Greatly expanded from the 1809, 80-page first edition, THIS IS THE VERSION THAT BROUGHT HIM FAME. Two volumes bound in one; this copy with volume II title page (from the large-paper issue) inserted following p.[276], as sometimes seen [Windle A11c]. "...dialogues on books and book-collecting conducted by a set of male characters (many based on Dibdin's actual friends), two of whom court shadowy female figures in the intervals between their more intense romancing of books .... embellished with extensive footnotes on bibliography and the history of book collecting" (Wikipedia). Bound in 8vo period polished calf boards decorated and ruled in gilt and blind; sympathetically re-backed with a fresh brown leather spine ruled in gilt and decoratively in blind, with gilt-lettered red-leather spine label; 782 pages including indexes plus 1-page errata followed by second half-title leaf with handwritten “manuscript key” on verso naming 11 of the figures from the book (e.g., “Sir Tristram – Walter Scott”). Very good with noted rebacking plus hinges strengthened and touch ups to boards; just a smattering of foxing throughout, and slight offset from title vignette to frontis and surrounding leaves.
Item #56175
Price: $750.00