Beschreibung:

BELL, JOHN, bookseller . [Engraved title:] Bell's Edition. The Poets of Great Britain complete from Chaucer to Churchill. London: [printed title: Edinburg (sic), Apollo Press for] John Bell 1777-1792. 109 vols., small 12mo, 127 x 76 mm. (5 x 3 in.), contemporary calf, smooth spines in six gilt compartments, black morocco gilt lettering label with each poet's name near the top of spine, red morocco gilt label with volume number of each poet's work in the center and black morocco gilt label with general numbering through the whole set at the foot, board edges gilt; contained in a new "Travelling Library" case, brown half morocco gilt and marbled paper sides, the back fashioned to resemble the spines of three folio volumes, the two sides each with a hinged door (with lock and key), opening to reveal three display shelves. THE COMPLETE NUMBER OF VOLUMES, engraved general titles, two following printed titles, engraved portraits. Uncollated and sold, therefore, not subject to return. In defiance of a consortium of some forty publishing firms which had just announced their projected publication of "Johnson's Poets", this edition called "Bell's Edition" began to be published in 1777. John Bell (1745-1831) was agent for the brothers Martin, owners of the Apollo Press in Edinburgh. Bell and Martin were debarred by exclusive copyright from inserting in their collection Young, Mallet, Akenside and Gray, who appeared in the London trade edition, together with Dorset, Stepney, Walsh, Duke and Sprat, rhymesters whom Bell had cast aside. Johnson's edition began its appearance in 1779. Provenance : William Garnett, Bleasdale and Quernmore Park, Co. Lancaster, early nineteenth-century engraved bookplate. (109)