Beschreibung:

WASHINGTON, George]. LE SAGE, Alain-Rene (1668-1747). The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane . A new translation. By the author of Roderic Random [Tobias Smollett]. Adorned with cuts, neatly engraved. In Four volumes. The Sixth Edition. London: Printed for W. Strahan, J. Rivington, T. Davies, W. Johnston, T. Longman, W. Nicoll, Richardson & Urquahart, G. Robinson, T. Cadell, and R. Baldwin, [1785]. Vol. I (only, of four). 8vo. 312 pp. Engraved frontispiece and 5 engravings in the text. Browning, spotting, a few discreet repairs; small chip at top margin just catching the loop in “t” of signature. Contemporary speckled sheep, spine ruled in six compartments, red and green morocco labels, later endpapers, rebacked, preserving most of the original spine, extremities rubbed. Half morocco gilt slipcase.
WASHINGTON, George]. LE SAGE, Alain-Rene (1668-1747). The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane . A new translation. By the author of Roderic Random [Tobias Smollett]. Adorned with cuts, neatly engraved. In Four volumes. The Sixth Edition. London: Printed for W. Strahan, J. Rivington, T. Davies, W. Johnston, T. Longman, W. Nicoll, Richardson & Urquahart, G. Robinson, T. Cadell, and R. Baldwin, [1785]. Vol. I (only, of four). 8vo. 312 pp. Engraved frontispiece and 5 engravings in the text. Browning, spotting, a few discreet repairs; small chip at top margin just catching the loop in “t” of signature. Contemporary speckled sheep, spine ruled in six compartments, red and green morocco labels, later endpapers, rebacked, preserving most of the original spine, extremities rubbed. Half morocco gilt slipcase. George Washington’s copy , signed (“G:Washington”) at the top of the title page. Le Sage’s picaresque novel, published between 1715 and 1735, enjoyed great success. It recounts the adventures of a bright young man who becomes valet to a series of colorful and unprincipled masters; in that capacity he was able to observe the disreputable doings of the upper classes at first-hand. The novel is one of a few literary works in the library of Mount Vernon. At present, volumes 3 and 4 are part of the collections of Mount Vernon; the location of volume 2 is at present unknown. Washington's four-volume set of Gil Blas remained together until sometime after the sale of Barton Currie’s library in 1963. Provenance : George Washington (signature) – Bushrod Washington (bequest) – John A. Washington Jr. (bequest) – Lawrence Washington (bequest; his sale of Washingtoniana, M. Thomas & Sons Philadelphia, 28 November 1876, lot 6 -- George Taylor Bentley (Freeman's, 15 June 1927. – Barton W. Currie (Parke-Bernet, 8 May 1963, lot 476 – Sotheby’s, 24 November 1980, lot 61 (unnamed consignor) – Charles M. Sigety.