Observations on the River Wye, William Gilpin — 5th Edition

Observations on the River Wye, William Gilpin — 5th Edition

£210.00
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Observations on the River Wye, William Gilpin — 5th Edition

Observations on the River Wye, William Gilpin — 5th Edition

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£210.00

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Publication: London, T. Cadell Junior & W. Davies, 1800

Formatting: 8vo, pp. xvi, 154.

Condition Report: Very Good. The publisher’s original half-leather binding shows light wear to the extremities, with gentle bumping to the corners and rubbing at the spine head and foot. Small chips of surface loss are present along the leather spine, though it remains bright overall, retaining sharp and clearly defined gilt-tooled decoration. The marbled boards exhibit age-related browning and light sunning but remain clean and highly presentable. The binding remains remarkably square, firm, and structurally sound. An Ex-Libris sticker is affixed to the front pastedown; a previous owner's signature, "Anne Parry Price," tops the title page. Internally, the contents show light handling, with uniform toning and scattered foxing consistent with age, yet remain clean and tidy overall, as evidenced by the title page. The complete suite of seventeen aquatint plates remains unblemished and well preserved. A sound and attractive example.

Catalogue Note: This is the fifth edition of Gilpin’s influential picturesque tour. Early illustrated editions of this title are highly regarded for their aquatint views, which helped popularise scenic tourism and the aesthetic principles of the Picturesque movement. It is a highly desirable topographical work retaining its full complement of plates.

The volume bears an Ex-Libris sticker affixed to the front pastedown, alongside a previous owner's signature, "Anne Parry Price," inscribed in ink at the head of the title page. 

First published following his 1770 summer tour, William Gilpin’s Observations on the River Wye is a celebrated travel narrative combining landscape description, aesthetic theory, and early picturesque tourism writing. This influential work became one of the defining texts of late 18th-century British landscape appreciation, teaching a generation of travellers how to look at nature with an artist’s eye.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: William Gilpin

Book Publisher: T. Cadell Junior & W. Davies

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Travel, Exploration & Adventure

Book edition:

Signed: No

Book Pages: 154

Book Publication Year: 1800

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover (Half Leather)

Illustrator: William Gilpin

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, 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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