WILLIAM IRELAND'S ILLUSTRATED LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, WITH SPLENDID HAND-COLORED PLATES BY CRUIKSHANK, HANDSOMELY BOUND IN FULL MOROCCO WITH GILT-STAMPED NAPOLEONIC EMBLEMS
(NAPOLEON) IRELAND, William H. Life of Napoleon Bonaparte. London: John Cumberland, 1828. Four volumes. Octavo, contemporary full dark green morocco, gilt-decorated front boards and spines with Napoleonic emblems, raised bands, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt.
Early complete edition of the first fully illustrated life of Napoleon printed in England, with 27 folding engravings and aquatint plates (24 fully hand-colored) by George Cruikshank, handsomely bound by Wood of London in full morocco with gilt-stamped Napoleonic emblems.
This lavish work, originally issued in parts, includes views of battles, Napoleon's marshals, portraits of Napoleon in military and imperial attire, and a facsimile of his 1814 letter of abdication. This work is bibliographically complex and "the collation presents many points of difficulty" (Cohn 435). The original parts (Volumes I-III, 1823-27) were published under Fairburn's imprint. Volume IV (1828) was published by Cumberland, who inset his engraved titles, all dated 1828, with the printed titles of Fairburn. According to Cohn, "No printed title was ever issued to Vol. 4." However, this particular set is notable as it has all four printed titles with the Fairburn imprint, dated 1823 (I, IV), 1825 (II), 1827 (III). This set also has four 1828 Cumberland engraved title pages. The chapter summaries in Volumes II-IV are shorter than those In Volume I and, in addition, the duplication of pp. 110-15 in Volume III is indicated by stars. Tooley states that this work is "exceedingly rare, with or without the cancel leaves" (278); this set is not canceled. Tooley 278. Cohn 435. Prideaux, 341.
Interior generally fresh with occasional marginal dampstaining not affecting linen-backed plates, gilt spines toned a rich brown, minor expert repair to one joint and a few headcaps. A splendid, beautiful near-fine set.