The Woorkes of Geffrey Chaucer, newly printed, with divers addicions

Lot 87
02.02.2024 10:00UTC -05:00
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$ 11 970
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
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ID 1129705
Lot 87 | The Woorkes of Geffrey Chaucer, newly printed, with divers addicions
Estimate value
$ 7 000 – 9 000
CHAUCER, Geoffrey (c.1343-1400). The Woorkes of Geffrey Chaucer, newly printed, with divers addicions. London: John Kyngston for John Wight, 1561.

The edition of Chaucer’s works likely used by Shakespeare as a source for Troilus and Cressida, first issue but with second issue title page. The twenty-two cuts in the prologue are from the blocks used by Caxton in his second edition (1483). Chaucer—called by Caxton “the worshipful fader and first foundeur and enbelissher of ornate eloquence in our Englissh”—played an important role in the popularization of vernacular English as a language of literature and stands beside Shakespeare as one of that language’s greatest authors. This copy has the title page without a border of the second issue, but unlike most copies of the second issue, it contains the full gathering + with illustrated preface. This is considered the first edition to be edited by John Stowe. Pforzheimer, 176; Raymo 3; STC (2nd ed.), 5075.

Folio (315 x 215mm). Title with woodcut armorial, 2 division titles in elaborate woodcut borders, woodcut illustrations to the preface of the Canterbury Tales (title frayed and laid down, outer margins of first gathering restored, dampstaining to top edge; some soiling and neat marginal repairs throughout; a few headlines shaved, last 2 leaves chipped and restored with a few letters of headline in ink facsimile). Later ruled calf (rebacked and recornered, new endpapers). Provenance: a few early ownership inscriptions, including of "John Prater" (dated 1696) and "Daniel de Legne," and other marginalia in a few hands (sometimes trimmed) – John Lewis Petit, Esq (bookplate) – monogrammed armorial bookplate of a member of the Hogg family.
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