CERVANTES SAAVEDRA, Miguel de.

El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha,

Compuesto por Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

Nueva Edición, conforme en todo á la de la Real Academia Española, hecha en Madrid en 1782.

Paris: Bossange y Masson, 1814

7 volumes, duodecimo, generally in signatures of sixes (146 x 97 mm overall, the pages 140 x 91 mm).  Engraved portrait of the author and 39 engraved plates, all hand-colored proofs before letters; double-page folding engraved map highlighting the travels in bold and color. Printed on laid paper with plume watermark (see at I.3.2).  Contemporary navy paste paper covers, spines with gilt rules and shield tool enclosing volume number, red morocco labels with gilt rules and title.  Spines slightly darkened, covers moderately scuffed and skinned, heads worn and other edge wear, corners bumped; scattered light foxing and paper defects; overall very good.  Uncut and unopened throughout; the hand coloring bright and fresh.  Engraved bookplate and bookseller label on each front pastedown.

Collates complete, as follows:

v.1:     [π]4, 16-306, 312: [1 l. (blank)], 1 l. (half-title recto, bookseller list verso), 1 l. (title recto), pp. [1]-4 (Advertencia), [1]-363, [1 p. (Tabla)], [1 l. (blank)]; 1 l. (frontispiece portrait verso) inserted before title;

v.2:     [π]2, a6-b6, c2, 16-246, 254: [1 l. (blank)], 1 l. (half-title recto), 1 l. (title recto), pp. [i]-xxviii, [1]-296, [1 l. (blank)]; 1 l. folding map inserted before Primera Parte; 8 ll. engraved plates;

v.3:     [π]2, 16-326, 331: [1 l. (blank)], 1 l. (half-title recto), 1 l. (title recto), pp. [1]-386, [1 l. (blank)]; 8 ll. engraved plates;

v.4:     [π]2, 16-296, 304: [1 l. (blank)], 1 l. (half-title recto), 1 l. (title recto), pp. [1]-356, [1 l. (blank)]; 6 ll. engraved plates;

v.5:     [π]2, 16-346: [1 l. (blank)], 1 l. (half-title recto), 1 l. (title recto), pp. [i]-xxiv, [25]-408, [1l. (blank)]; 5 ll. engraved plates;

v.6:     [π]2, 16-326, 334 -344, 351: [1 l. (blank)], 1 l. (half-title recto), 1 l. (title recto), pp. [1]-392, [397]-405, [1 p.], [1 l. (blank)]; 5 ll. engraved plates;

v.7:     [π]2, 16-336, 344, 351:  [1 l. (blank)], 1 l. (half-title recto), 1 l. (title recto), pp. [1]-405, [1 p.], [1 l. (blank)]; 7 ll. engraved plates;

the inserted plates comprising the frontispiece portrait, the folding map and the 39 further plates in total.

This edition is a highly regarded critical re-edition, under José René Masson with notes by Juan Antonio Pellicer (first published 1797-8), of the similarly-sized 1782 issue printed in four volumes by Joaquín Ibarra following his magisterial 1780 Royal Academy quarto edition.  The present copy, an unopened set notwithstanding the moderate cover scuffing and wear, has, as well, the same Spanish illustrators as the Ibarra set, the re-engraved plates here in fresh hand-colored proofs before letters.

Provenance:

Engraved bookplate with calligraphic entwined initials CJCJ (?) and label of Henry March Gilbert, “Ye Olde Boke Shoppe,” Southampton, on each front pastedown;

Jacques Levy (1905-1980)

References:

Palau y Dulcet, Antonio. Bibliografía de don Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Barcelona, Palau, Madrid: Asociación de Libreros, 1950, no. 52040 ("edición estimada").

Río y Rico, Don Gabriel-Martín del, Catálogo Bibliográfico de la Sección De Cervantes de la Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid: Tip. de la “Revista de Archivos, Bibliotecas y Museos,” 1930:"hermosa edición, conforme a la segunda de la Academia y con magníficas láminas dobles, en negro e iluminadas."

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