The Free-Holder. ADDISON (Joseph).

The Free-Holder; or, Political Essays.

Engraved title-page vignette.

8vo. [212 x 129 x 32 mm]. 392, [8] pp. Bound in contemporary lightly mottled calf, the covers with a gilt double fillet and scalloped roll border. The spine divided into six panels with gilt compartments, lettered in the second panel on a green goatskin label, the third panel with a red label tooled with a vase holding a flower, flanked by a pair of sunflowers, beneath a canopy of wreaths, the other panels with a centre composed of fleurons and scroll corners, the edges of the boards tooled with a gilt roll, marbled endleaves and edges. (Upper headcap chipped, slightly rubbed).

London: for Jacob and Richard Tonson, 1758

Originally published in 55 parts between 23rd December 1715 and 29th June 1716. This edition is not in the BLPC. The title-page is a little dust-soiled, but it is a very good copy. The binding is handsome and has some distinctive features, including the red label with the decorative tooling and the "French curl" marbled edges which match the endleaves. This is an early example of marbled edges, a feature which did not become common in England until towards the end of the eighteenth century.

Pencil acquisition note "Godfreys [...] 1943".

Stock no. ebc2011