DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, Edward Gibbon-8 Vols complete-1862-leather

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Full Title: The History of the Decline and Fall of theRoman Empire (Volumes 1-8) Authors: EdwardGibbon; Dean Milman and M. Guizot (Notes); William Smith (New Edition with Additional Notes) Publication Info: London: John Murray, 1892 Additional: Custom bound by Maclehose, Glasgow Summary of Condition: Very Good Plus ( please read below condition statement ) Edward Gibbon (1737-1794), an English historian and Member of Parliament, published this important work between 1776 and 1788. Known for the quality of its prose and use of primary sources, it remains widely read today. The work covers the history of the Roman Empire, Europe, and the Catholic Church from 98 to 1590 and discusses the decline of the Roman Empire in the East and West. Because of its relative objectivity and heavy use of primary sources, unusual at the time, its methodology became a model for later historians. This led to Gibbon being called the first "modern historian of ancient Rome" (info from Wikipedia). DESCRIPTION: Binding by Maclehose, Glasgow (stamped on the recto of the front free endpaper in each volume) in full tan leather, both front and rear boards have a gilt triple-ruled border with a small floral decoration in the corners, red and green spine labels with gilt lettering, the other spine compartments richly decorated in gilt, gilt decorations on the sides of the boards, marbled edges, marbled endpapers. Pagination: Volume 1: xxxiii, 415, with a steel-engraved frontis of Edward Gibbon and two folding maps; Volume 2: x, 425, with one colored folding map and two flat maps; Volume 3: viii, 433, with one colored folding map; Volume 4: viii, 410, with one colored folding map; Volume 5: viii, 415, with two folding maps; Volume 6: vii, 428, with two folding maps (one colored); Volume 7: x, 412, with one colored folding map; Volume 8: x, 434 which includes a General Index of approximately 140 pages, and two folding maps (one colored). Overall the set contains 14 maps and totals approximately 3,465 pages. CONDITION: Overall the set is near fine; all of the text blocks are strong and square, the hinges are solid, the corners are straight with a minimum of rubbing, and the interior is clean and bright; in fact, the volumes almost appear unread, over 150 years after publication. The fourteen maps (all present as called for) are in particularly nice condition, most of the folding maps are fine, a few are near fine as they were re-folded incorrectly; we only saw one with a very, very small tear not near any text/illustration. We are grading the set as very good due to the following: the spines are uniformly slightly rubbed, the head and tails in particular with a few volumes having some slight loss to the leather; Volume 2 had the spine covering re-attached along the rear joint using archival, non-acidic glue; Volume 4 had a gutter repair (pp. 408-409); Volume 6 has a scuffed rear board, and Volume 7 has a small split just starting to the top of the rear joint. All volumes have a very neat, small, private library number written on the blank side of the endpapers (front and rear) and a small, vintage bookseller's ticket to the recto of the rear free endpaper. Other than the private library numbers on the endpapers, we saw no prior owner markings in any volume. CALIFORNIA CUSTOMERS please note that we are REQUIRED to charge sales tax, it will be added to the net sale amount, thank you. read more

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