This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/21/2024
DISRAELI, Benjamin (1804-1881). The Revolutionary Epick: the Work of Disraeli the Younger. London: Edward Moxon, 1834. With two half-titles, [4], viii, [90]; xi, [91]-206 pp. Approximately 10 x 8” Finely bound by modern full red morocco gilt, the covers with gilt rules, morocco-tipped slipcase (spine a bit toned, occasional faint foxing in text, light wear to slipcase). Fine. FIRST EDITION, THREE PARTS IN ONE, SIGNED TWICE BY THE PRIME MINISTER DISRAELI WITH INSCRIPTIONS TO BOTH HALF-TITLES READING “MRS. MEREDITH FROM HER FRIEND THE AUTHOR.” AN EXTREMELY UNCOMMON BOOK (ONE OF JUST 50 COPIES PRINTED - ONE OF ONLY 3 COPIES KNOWN TO BE EXTANT), WITH NO COPY IN THE AUCTION RECORD SINCE 1979. This copy sold at Sotheby’s, 8 December 1924, lot 267. Mrs. Meredith was the mother of Disraeli’s best friend, William Meredith, with whom Disraeli traveled the world with extensively in the 1820s. Meredith and Disraeli both collaborated on several books together about their travels, as well as a translation of Rumplestiltskin. In 1830, while on a trip to Egypt with Disraeli, Meredith contracted smallpox and died. Disraeli had to return his body to England, and became executor of Meredith’s estate. In his introduction to the 1864 reissue, which printed the complete text, the author noted that only fifty copies of the first edition were made. Only a portion of the poem was originally published in this edition in 1834. Disraeli refers to this in his introduction in 1864: ‘Thirty years ago I printed a few copies of a portion of a poem, with which I did not proceed, but the nature of which has now unexpectedly become the subject of public controversy. As only fifty copies of it were printed at the time, and probably many of these are now destroyed, there is no reason why the controversy should not be recurrent and interminable, since very few, if any, who offer their opinions upon its character, can, necessarily, have seen the work, it being, as the late Mr. Coleridge subsequently said of one of his earlier productions, ‘as good as manuscript.” There are only three other known copies of this original first edition from 1834 that have sold at auction, or therefore may exist today, signed or otherwise.