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Italy, a Poem [and] Poems,
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Italy, a Poem [and] Poems, (with five authorial mss tipped in at front of Poems),

Publication details: T. Cadell [...] and E. Moxon,1830, 1834,

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  • $2,741.21
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Bookseller Notes

Presentation copies. Italy had appeared partially, and anonymously, in 1822, the second part with Rogers' name attached, in 1828. It sold poorly but, determined to make it a success, he enlarged and revised the poem, and commissioned illustrations from artists including J.M.W. Turner. 'It was the author's express intention that they should be the finest illustrated books ever published' (Muir). As a banker-cum-poet Rogers (1763-1855) could afford to spare no expense; he 'is said to have spent upwards of 15,000' on the production of these two volumes (Poems followed in 1834). The books were a triumph; Ruskin called Turner's illustrations, the 'loveliest engravings ever produced in the pure line!'.Rogers commissioned fine bindings and inscribed copies as gifts, some with verse and letters tipped in, as here. These volumes, dedicated to the artist Thomas Unwins (1782-1857), have an unusually large number of such additions, with five extra leaves tipped into Poems, featuring poems and notes by Rogers.Later from the library of Frederick William Cosens, which was sold at Sothebys in 1890, in a sale lasting twelve days and comprising just under five thousand lots. (See: Percy Muir, Victorian Illustrated Books (1971) pp. 71-3.)

Description

FIRST EDITIONS of both works, the two volumes with 20 illustrations in the text and more than 100 fine steel-engraved headpieces and tailpieces, after designs mostly by J. M. W. Turner; some images offset, very lightly toned, a little marginal browing and the occasional spot, pp. vii, [1], 284; viii, 295, [1], 8vo, handsome contemporary bindings of crushed green morocco, profusely gilt, spines with raised bands, very brightly gilt edges; Poems with a few light scratches to the lower board; Italy with 'proofs' in pencil below the imprint; Poems has five authorial autograph leaves tipped in (on stubs) in a clear hand on blue paper (see below); both volumes with dedicatory inscription: 'Thomas Unwins Esq from the author' (see below) armorial bookplate of Frederick William Cosens (see below), very good

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