La Mort d'Arthure:The History of King Arthur and of the Knights of the Round Table
London: John Russell Smith, 1865. First edition. Hardcover. Very good. Item #21843
Three volumes. 12mo. Half dark red cloth. Introduction and notes by Thomas Wright, The Introduction is of bibliographical importance as it sketches the history of the early editions of Malory: Caxton (one complete copy; one incomplete); de Worde (two editions, one copy of each known); Copland; East; and finally the edition of 1634.
Each volume with the engraved circular bookplate of Emily Morris Gallatin on the front pastedowns. The simple signature of Arthur Lewis, 1949, on each of the front free endpapers. And on the front free endpaper of volume 1 a nearly full page inscription dated 2018. Only volume 1 has been fully opened; the remaining volumes are partially unopened. Aside from the inscription and signatures, these volumes are in very good condition showing only traces of wear at the corners, edges and spine tips.
This is a curious edition. We have marked it a first edition, but not without hesitation. The first printing of this work was in 1858. The second edition, so marked on the title pages, was in 1866 (vols. 1 and 3, but still 1865 in vol. 2). (And, for completeness, there was an edition in 1889 marked Third Edition the title page.) So the publisher (and, for that matter, the bibliography) have given us three editions: 1858, 1866 and 1889. This title is dated 1865. The Introduction of 1858 is repeated in its entirety, and is followed by a single paragraph by the author dated 1865 in which he calls this a new edition, "carefully revised". Given the above we are calling this a first edition, revised.
Gaines does not list this printing. The other editions are listed at A10.
Price: $400.00