Beschreibung:

Aesop's Fables, with his Life: In English, French, and Latin Author: Aesop Place Published: London Publisher: Printed by R. Newcomb for Francis Barlow Date Published: 1703 Description: [6], 40, 40, 17, 2-221, [3] pp. With added engraved pictorial title page, engraved dedication, 31 engraved plates (to Life of Aesop) and 110 half-page engravings (to the Fables). The Life of Aesop is present in English, French and Latin. The fables and morals are in French and Latin, and the verse captions in the engravings are in English. (Folio) 32x18.5 cm (12½x7¼"), period paneled calf, rebacked with modern calf lettered in gilt, raised spine bands, new endpapers. Rare and important edition of Aesop's Fables. The 31 engraved plates illustrating the life of Aesop are after Francis Barlow (almost all signed by Thomas Dudley); the 17th plate was suppressed, as is generally the case, for its lewd content, and has here been replace by the engraved frontispiece depicting Aesop and the animals, which is on a stub, as is usual. The presence of the added engraved title page is quite uncommon for this 1703 edition, as it is usually confined to earlier issues. The English verses (accompanying the illustrations to the fables and the life) are by Mrs. Aphra Behn. All early editions of Barlow’s Aesop are rare, and this 1703 is perhaps the rarest of them all. Condition: The period boards rubbed, worn at corners; some soiling and foxing to contents, a few short marginal tears; very good. Item#: 359552 Headline: Barlow edition of Aesop's Fables, 1703