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Auction: 284 - Bond, Share & Americana Mailbid & Internet Exclusive
Lot: 1057

D´Avenant´s "Gondibert": Scarce book by the man rumored to be Shakespeare´s illegitimate son! "Gondibert: an Heroick Poem." Sir William D´Avenant. London, Tho. Newcomb for John Holden, 1651. 8vo, gorgeous later leather with gilt designs, spine, and edges, banded spine, identified on spine as "Abr. Cowley´s Copy." With period initials "A.C." in ink on title page, numerous contemporary notes and owners´ marks on original free endpaper. Dedicated by the author to his friend, "Mr. Hobs," [sic, Thomas Hobbes]. Three owners´ bookplates on later pastedown and free endpapers. A note on verso of the latter explains that "This copy contains both varieties of the cancelled leaf pp 7-8" and "215-16." Laid in is an engraving of Cowley, a colleague and contemporary of D´Avenant. The author was the godson of William Shakespeare, and was rumored to be his illegitimate son. He wrote the present book while imprisoned in the Tower for treason. Binding fine. Pages toned at edges, soiled at extremities, with expert paper reinforcement at edges of free endpaper. Otherwise VG. An intensely desirable book. Note that we have been unable to verify that the initials on the title page are in Cowley´s hand - what evidence we have found of his writing seems to suggest otherwise - but the notes at front do appear to be contemporary with the book´s publication. Estimate US$ 400-500

Estimate
$400 to $500