benjamin franklin first edition
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First edition of Richard Owen Cambridge's An Account of the War in India, Between the English and French; from the private library of Benjamin Franklin
CAMBRIDGE, Richard Owen [Benjamin Franklin].
An Account of the War in India, Between the English and French, on the Coast of Coromandel, From the Year 1760. Together with A Relation of the late Remarkable Events on the Malabar Coast, and the Expeditions to Golconda and Surat; with the Operations of the Fleet. Illustrated with Maps, Plans &c. The Whole Compiled from Original Papers.
London: Printed for T. Jefferys, 1761.
Benjamin Franklin's first edition copy of Cambridge's account of the progression of the Seven Years' War in India, from Franklin's private library. Quarto, bound in full contemporary calf, marbled endpapers, illustrated with 12 engraved maps and plans and 6 plates, mostly folding. From the private library of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin's contributions to science and politics were immense and his passion for making books more available to a broader audience prompted him to establish North America's first subscription library. In 1731, Franklin convinced the members of his Junto (a mutual improvement club he founded) to pool their money to purchase books they would collectively share. The collection became the Library Company of Philadelphia and is now regarded as the predecessor to the public library. Franklin was also instrumental in the establishment of the Library of the Pennsylvania Hospital (North America's first medical library), the Pennsylvania State Library, The Library of the American Philosophical Society, and the Library of the University of Pennsylvania. Franklin's private library has a long and complex history and although he was known to have produced a list its contents shortly before his death, it has never been discovered. After his death in 1790, a large portion...
Price: $65,000.00 Item Number: 137375
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"THE LAST COLLECTION OF FRANKLIN'S WRITINGS TO APPEAR IN HIS LIFETIME": First edition of Benjamin Franklin's Philosophical and Miscellaneous Papers
FRANKLIN, Benjamin.
Philosophical and Miscellaneous Papers. Lately written by B. Franklin, LL. D. Fellow of the Royal Society of London; Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris; President of the American Philosophical Society at Philadelphia.
London: Printed for C. Dilly, in the Poultry, 1787.
First edition of the last collection of Franklin's writings to appear during his lifetime; a major collection of his political, philosophical and scientific writings, a second volume of which was planned but never published. First issue with page 25 mispaginated "52." Octavo, bound in full contemporary tree calf with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine, red morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt Greek key ruling to the front and rear panels. With four copper-engraved folding plates including diagrams of the Franklin stove and the earliest published map of the Gulf Stream. In very good condition. Armorial bookplate and early ownership inscriptions. Text and plates very clean. Rare.
Price: $28,000.00 Item Number: 125345
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“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety": Rare First Edition of Benjamin Franklin's Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces
FRANKLIN, Benjamin.
Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces; Arranged under the Following Heads and Distinguished by Initial Letters in each Leaf: General Politics; American Politics before the Troubles; American Politics during the Troubles; Provincial or Colony Politics; Miscellaneous and Philosophical Pieces.
London: Printed for J. Johnson, 1779.
First edition of "the only edition of Franklin's writings (other than his scientific) printed during his lifetime" (Ford). Octavo, bound half diced calf over marbled boards with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine, red morocco spine label lettered in gilt. With the engraved frontispiece portrait of Franklin, three engraved plates (one folding), and folding table of the reformed alphabet. In near fine condition. Complete with index, addenda and corrigenda. An exceptional example.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 125035
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“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing”: Number One of The Federal Edition of The Writings of Benjamin Franklin; Exceptionally Bound
FRANKLIN, Benjamin.
The Works of Benjamin Franklin.
New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1887.
The Federal edition, number one of 1000 numbered copies, signed by the publisher of the works of Benjamin Franklin. Octavo, 12 volumes, bound in full morocco with gilt titles to the spine, blue morocco doublures framed by elaborate gilt tooling, complemented by matching blue moiré silk free endpapers raised bands, top edge gilt, illustrated with engraved frontispiece portraits, protective tissue guards. In near fine condition, bookplate. Compiled and edited by John Bigelow. A stunning set, rare and desirable.
Price: $15,000.00 Item Number: 151459
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"The earliest known book on chess printed in America": Rare First Edition of Chess Made Easy. New and Comprehensive Rules for Playing the Game of Chess
FRANKLIN, Dr. Benjamin.
Chess Made Easy. New and Comprehensive Rules for Playing the Game of Chess.
Philadelphia: James Humphrey, 1802.
First edition of the earliest known book on chess printed in America. 32mo,bound in half leather over marbled boards, illustrated with engraved frontispiece. In very good condition with some rubbing to the extremities, frontispiece repaired, title-page repaired and dampstained. An exceptional rarity, with only one example appearing at auction in the last 75 years.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 126090
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“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety": Rare First Collected Edition of Benjamin Franklin's Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces
FRANKLIN, Benjamin.
Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces; Arranged under the Following Heads and Distinguished by Initial Letters in each Leaf: General Politics; American Politics before the Troubles; American Politics during the Troubles; Provincial or Colony Politics; Miscellaneous and Philosophical Pieces.
London: Printed for J. Johnson, 1779.
First collected edition of "the only edition of Franklin's writings (other than his scientific) printed during his lifetime" (Ford). Octavo, bound in three quarter olive crushed levant morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in three compartments within raised bands, all edges speckled blue, engraved frontispiece portrait of Franklin, three engraved plates (one folding), and folding table of the reformed alphabet. . Complete with index, addenda and corrigenda. In near fine condition. Contemporary ownership inscription to the frontispiece verso.
Price: $9,800.00 Item Number: 147735
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Renouard's rare bi-lingual edition of Benjamin Franklin's The Way to Wealth or Poor Richard Improved
FRANKLIN, Benjamin.
The Way to Wealth or Poor Richard Improved.
Paris: Printed for Ant. Aug. Renouard, 1795.
The rare Renouard's bi-lingual edition of Franklin's popular aphorisms, first published as the preface to the Poor Richard's Almanac. "The prettiest edition yet printed" (Ford, Franklin 135). Sabin 25596. 12mo, bound in full contemporary calf, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt ruling to the spine, gilt turn-ins, engraved frontispiece portrait of Franklin by A. Tardieu after Duplessis. This elegant Parisian edition attests to the high regard in which Franklin was held, earned from his years representing the United States at Versailles from 1779-1785. It includes Franklin’s letter to Madame Passy, the Dialogue entre la goutte et Franklin, the poem Le Sage et la goutte, the essay Quelques mots sur l'Amérique, avis à ceux qui voudroient aller s'établir dans cette contrée, and Franklin’s epitaph, which appears in both French and English. This copy includes the separately-paginated Observations sur les Sauvages du Nord de l'Amérique, noted by Ford to be present in only a few copies, but it does not include the two publisher's catalogues found in only a few copies. In very good condition.
Price: $7,200.00 Item Number: 151325
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“THE MOST WIDELY READ OF ALL AMERICAN AUTOBIOGRAPHIES": TRUE FIRST EDITION OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY in the scarce original wrappers
FRANKLIN, Benjamin.
Mémoires de la Vie Privée de Benjamin Franklin, Écrits Par Lui-Même, et Adressés à Son Fils, Suivis d’un Précis Historique de Sa Vie Politique, et de Plusieurs Pièces, Relatives à Ce Père de la Liberté. [Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin].
A Paris: Chez Buisson, Libraire, 1791.
True first edition of Franklin’s famed autobiography, which preceded the first English edition by two years, in the scarce original wrappers. Octavo, original wrappers, with the original publisher's paper spine label present. With page 204 misnumbered 360, lacking the three final leaves and rear wrapper. Ownership inscription to the verso of the front wrapper. In very good condition. Exceedingly scarce in the original wrappers.
Price: $6,500.00 Item Number: 124077
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"A new truth is a truth, an old error is an error": Rare First Edition of Benjamin Franklin's Oeuvres
FRANKLIN, Benjamin.
Oeuvres.
Paris: Chez Quillau, Esprit, et l'Auteur, 1773.
First French edition of Franklin's complete works on electricity, based on the fourth and best British edition. Quarto, two volumes bound in one, contemporary calf, illustrated with engraved frontispiece portrait of Franklin in his study and twelve full-page plates. In very good condition. Uncommon.
Price: $4,000.00 Item Number: 133908
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“The Body of Benjamin FRANKLIN Printer, Like the Covering of an Old Book Its contents torn out and stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies Here, Food for Worms": Scarce first edition of Nathaniel Ames' 1771 Almanack, containing the first known printing of Benjamin Franklin's famous epitaph
AMES, Nathaniel. [Benjamin Franklin].
An Astronomical Diary or Almanack, for the Year of Our Lord Christ 1771.
Boston: Printed and Sold by the Printers and Booksellers, [1770].
First edition of Nathaniel Ames' 1771 Almanack, containing the first known printing of "the most famous of American epitaphs" (Mark Van Doren). 12mo, original wrappers stitched as issued. In very good condition. Housed in a custom cloth chemise and half morocco slipcase. An exceptional example of this scarce early almanac.
Price: $3,500.00 Item Number: 125283
