A Pope Library: A Catalogue of Plays, Poems, and Prose Writings by Alexander Pope

£165.00

A Pope Library: A Catalogue of Plays, Poems, and Prose Writings by Alexander Pope

Name: A Pope Library: A Catalogue of Plays, Poems, and Prose Writings by Alexander Pope
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5568
Price: 165.00 GBP
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A Pope Library: A Catalogue of Plays, Poems, and Prose Writings by Alexander Pope, Thomas James Wise — First Edition

Publication: London, Printed for Private Circulation Only, 1931

Formatting: 4to, pp. xxiv, 112, [4].

Condition Report: Very Good. The original red buckram bevelled boards remain firm and solid, with the gilt wreath to the front board still striking and bright. The spine exhibits minor sunning, accompanied by light rubbing and bumping to the extreme head and tail. There are a few faint scuffs and minimal discolouration to the cloth boards, typical of standard shelf-wear. Internally, the book is well-preserved. There is some minor spotting and offsetting to the preliminary pages and endpapers, but the main text block remains clean, tight, and predominantly bright throughout. The thick, hand-made antique paper shows some mild toning and dustiness strictly to the uncut fore and bottom edges, while the top edge remains tidy and smooth.

Catalogue Note: First Edition, strictly limited to a scarce run of just 160 copies printed upon English hand-made paper. This meticulously compiled catalogue details the Alexander Pope collection of Thomas James Wise, the notorious bibliophile, collector, and literary forger whose Ashley Library remains one of the most infamous in British book history.

The volume is handsomely presented in bevelled boards with gilt tooling, featuring an introduction by H. F. B. Brett-Smith. Fully illustrated with numerous plates showing title pages and manuscripts of Pope’s works, it provides a comprehensive overview of Pope's bibliography. Given the incredibly small print run, true first editions of Wise’s catalogue are notably scarce on the open market and remain an essential reference for serious collectors of 18th-century English literature.

A cornerstone reference work for the study of Alexander Pope, compiled by the legendary and controversial book collector Thomas James Wise. Originally printed in a strictly limited private run of 160 copies, A Pope Library provides an exhaustive bibliographical catalogue of Pope’s plays, poems, and prose writings. Illustrated with detailed facsimiles of title pages, it stands not only as an invaluable resource for scholars and collectors, but also as a fascinating artefact from the golden age of English book-collecting.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Thomas James Wise

Book Publisher: Printed for Private Circulation Only

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Education

Book edition: First Edition and Limited Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 140

Book Publication Year: 1931

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.

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