BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED AND BOUND SET OF BURTON’S ARABIAN NIGHTS
BURTON, Richard F. The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night… Reprinted from the Original Edition and Edited by Leonard Smithers. Illustrated by a Series of Seventy-One Original Illustrations Reproduced from the Original Pictures in Oils Specially Painted by Albert Letchford. London: H.S. Nichols, 1897. Twelve volumes. Tall octavo, original three-quarter burgundy morocco gilt, raised bands, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, marbled boards and endpapers, top edges gilt, uncut and partially unopened.
The Library Edition of Burton’s classic translation of The Arabian Nights, illustrated with 70 full-page plates after Letchford, with reproductions of the original Benares title pages bound in.
Translated and annotated by Richard F. Burton, the esteemed explorer and scholar, who “intended the translation to be a legacy to his countrymen, of whose imperial mission he was ever mindful, and to perpetuate the fruit of his own oriental experiences… If an eastern story-teller could have written in English he would write very much as Burton has done”(DNB). Following the rare Benares first edition of 1885, which consisted of 16 volumes, and the expurgated edition issued by Burton’s wife shortly after his death, there were several beautiful complete editions of the Nights issued by Nichols and Smithers between 1894 and 1897. The present set is the illustrated “Library Edition,” with all of the Letchford illustrations commissioned by Nichols. With all half titles, without one plate in Volume VI. Penzer, 113, 117-123.
Occasional scattered foxing, infrequent faint dampstaining. A few pages roughly opened. Expert repairs to a few joints, gilt on spines bright and beautiful. A lovely set.