Threescore and Ten Years: 1820 - 1890; Recollections, W.J. Linton — 1st Edition

Publication: New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1894

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [vi], 236.

Condition Report: Good. The binding remains firm and structurally intact, though the original publisher's brown cloth exhibits noticeable exterior wear, including a prominent rectangular stain (likely sunning or moisture-offset) across the front board and typical rubbing to the spine ends and corners. Internally, the text block is relatively clean, retaining its original untrimmed deckle edges. Preliminary leaves show expected evidence of institutional use, most notably paper skinning and adhesive residue to the front pastedown from a removed library pocket, alongside period ink inscriptions and a date stamp. Interior pages remain bright and largely free from significant foxing or tearing.

Catalogue Note: First American edition of Linton’s memoir, issued in the publisher's original brown cloth and distinguished by a gilt facsimile of the author's signature on the front board. The text opens with a frontispiece portrait of the author, shielded by its original tissue guard.

The volume carries localized provenance from the South Bridgton Circulating Library in Maine. The institutional markings, including an early acquisition inscription dated October 1, 1895, on the title page, root the book firmly within the context of late 19th-century American community lending libraries. While the text is well-represented in institutional holdings, surviving first editions in their original bindings remain an appealing primary source for collectors of 19th-century radicalism and printing history.

A captivating memoir by the prominent English wood engraver, political reformer, and poet, William James Linton (1812–1897). Spanning seven vital decades, Threescore and Ten Years chronicles Linton’s rich and active life during a transformative era. From his early days in London working alongside leading figures of the Chartist movement and European republicans, to his later years establishing the renowned Appledore Press in Connecticut, Linton offers intimate and spirited recollections of his contemporaries. His vivid sketches of celebrated artists, writers, and revolutionaries—including Giuseppe Mazzini, Thomas Carlyle, and Walt Whitman—provide an invaluable firsthand perspective on the dynamic intellectual and political currents that shaped the nineteenth century.