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CARLYLE, Thomas

The French Revolution

The French Revolution

London: The Folio Society, 1989

Illustrated by

£1,900.00
£1,900.00
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The French Revolution by Thomas Carlyle. London: The Folio Society, 1989.  Designed by Bernard Roberts. 227 × 161 × 31–37 mm. 3 vols (see below). Type: Scotch Roman. Printed and bound by the Bath Press. Full dark brown and red cloth (dark brown on the spine and fore-edge) decorated in gold; endleaves printed in black. Red three-volume slip case titled (as above) in gold. The plates reproduce contemporary paintings and etchings; further prints and watercolours are reproduced on the endleaves. 

This work was first published in 1837, and the Folio edition appeared on 14 July 1989, to mark the bicentenary of the storming of the Bastille. In the following month, a second impression of 1000 copies was made, with a different text on the verso of the title-leaf; copies of this impression were offered to members at £450.00 (£1250.00 with inflation in 2026), bound by Hunter and Foulis in full dark green ‘Oasis’ morocco, with Cockerell marbled endleaves, in a leather-covered wooden slip case.

The three volumes are as follows:

  • I Thomas Carlyle, the French revolution, a history, volume I, the Bastille. Tntroduction by Richard Cobb. Pp. [i–ix] x–xv [xvi], [1–3] 4–275 [276]: [16] leaves of plates.
  • II Thomas Carlyle, the French revolution, a history, volume II, the constitution. Pp. [i–ix] x, [1–3] 4–292 [293–294]: [16] leaves of plates.
  • III Thomas Carlyle, the French revolution, a history, volume III, the guillotine. Pp. [i–ix] x, [1–3] 4–344 [345–346]: [16] leaves of plates.

An exquisite set, with square and firm bindings and clean, uninscribed pages, save for some pencil inscriptions to the front by the previous owner. The spines are ever-so-slightly discoloured, with a few innocuous hairline scratches to the edges; else a fine set, albeit with the previous owner's initials embossed on the front cover, as offered by the Society to its members at the time. Housed in a sturdy slipcase, a little shelf-worn, particularly to the top, but otherwise very good. The set is accompanied by the original letter sent by the Society to its members detailing this brilliant set. A very rare find with few sets coming up for sale.

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