February 2018 Auction Ends Thursday, February 22nd, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/22/2018
Very rare second edition of Samuel Johnson's seminal 1755 dictionary in two volumes. Large pair of leather-bound volumes house Johnson's unprecedented lexicographic achievement that catapulted him to fame as one of the most accomplished scholars in history. Titled in full, ''A Dictionary of the English Language: In Which the Words are Deduced from their Originals, and Illustrated in their Different Significations by Examples from the Best Writers. To Which are Prefixed, a History of the Language, and an English Grammar'', dictionary was printed by W. Strahan, for J. and P. Knapton: London: 1755. This work, which took Johnson eight years to craft, has been hailed by scholars as a crucial achievement in the literary world, and by extension, to English culture itself. Johnson and half a dozen assistants here catalogued over forty thousand words and provided examples of usage with more than one hundred thousand excerpts from existing literature. Johnson's dictionary reigned as the foremost reference through the end of the nineteenth century and Johnson became the subject of classic biography ''Life of Samuel Johnson'' by James Boswell. Each volume is bound in original leather boards with gilt trim and ribbed spine, measuring 11'' x 16.5''. Prior owner's bookplate is affixed to both front pastedowns and first few leaves show scattered pencil notations. Integral blanks at front and rear are detached as is a ''Q'' page in the second volume. Abrasions to boards and edges, and separation of boards at hinges though still attached, all typical of age. Overall a nicely preserved set of one of the greatest achievements in academia.
Scarce Second Edition of Samuel Johnson's 2-Volume Masterpiece of Lexicography -- ''A Dictionary Of The English Language: In Which The Words Are Deduced From The Originals...'' -- 1755
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