The Life of Thomas Chatterton, John Dix — 1st Edition

£125.00

The Life of Thomas Chatterton, John Dix — 1st Edition

Name: The Life of Thomas Chatterton, John Dix — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4419
Price: 125.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Hamilton, Adams, & Co., 1837

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [viii], 336.

Condition Report: Very Good. The full calf binding remains impressively tight and structurally sound, featuring beautifully unoxidised gilt tooling across the spine compartments and crisp gilt rule borders on the boards. The vibrant marbled textblock edges perfectly match the endpapers and remain free of fading. Shelf-wear is moderate, primarily restricted to light rubbing at the extremities, corners, and joints. A superficial scrape to the leather is present on the front board, though it does not compromise the underlying board or the integrity of the binding itself. Internally, the pages retain excellent brightness and flexibility, with only sporadic, mild foxing isolated mostly to the preliminary leaves, ensuring a highly readable, sturdy, and attractive copy.

Catalogue Note: A handsome first edition of John Dix's biography of the infamous "marvellous boy," Thomas Chatterton. Bound in full calf with elaborate gilt floral and star tooling, the book features elegant gilt dentelles and intricately marbled endpapers that exemplify fine nineteenth-century English bookbinding. Notably, this edition is recognised for containing previously unpublished poems and correspondence by Chatterton, adding significant literary and historical value.

The title page bears a printed dedication to George Weare Braikenridge, a noted Bristol antiquarian and collector, underscoring its local historical importance to Chatterton's native city (printed locally by J. Chilcott, Bristol). First editions in contemporary fine leather bindings are increasingly scarce on the open market, appealing equally to collectors of literary forgery, antiquarian bookbinding, and Romantic-era history.

Delve into the tragic and sensational life of Thomas Chatterton, the teenage poetic genius and master literary forger who captured the imagination of the Romantic movement. John Dix’s biography provides a sympathetic, detailed portrait of the brilliant "marvellous boy" whose medieval fabrications fooled the literary establishment and whose premature death elevated him to legendary status. Featuring previously unpublished poems and personal correspondence, this work is an essential exploration of genius, deception, and the intense pressures of eighteenth-century literary ambition.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: John Dix

Book Publisher: Hamilton, Adams, & Co.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Autobiography, Biography & Memoirs

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 336

Book Publication Year: 1837

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover (Full Calf Leather)

Illustrator: N/A

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.