This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/16/2023
WALTON, Izaak (1593–1683). The Lives of Dr. John Donne, Sir Henry Wotton, Mr. Richard Hooker, Mr. George Herbert. London: Thomas Newcomb for Richard Marriott, 1670.
8vo (191 x 114 mm). (Spotting throughout, mostly marginal). Separate title–pages, 4 engraved portrait frontispieces for each (first frontispiece unevenly trimmed, old paper repair at margin to second frontispiece verso). Contemporary calf (rebacked preserving original spine label, corners repaired). Provenance: Sold in 1950 in Francis Edwards Catalogue No. 700 (“Fine, Rare and Important Books”); Otto Orren Fisher (bookplate), notable book collector of the 20th century; several holograph corrections and annotations in the author’s hand.
PRESENTATION COPY OF THE FIRST COLLECTED EDITION, INSCRIBED BY WALTON TO MR. MOWBRAY on frontispiece. Walton presented numerous copies of this work to friends and associates; this copy not among those listed in the Index of English Literary Manuscripts. This collection of biographies is considered “one of the most celebrated in the English language” (Pforzheimer). Grolier Club, Wither to Prior 955; Pforzheimer 1056; Wing W–671.