[Original Cloth] The life and surprising adventures of Robinson Crusoe, or York mariner. With introductory verses by Bernard Barton, and illustrated with numerous engravings from drawings by George Cruikshank expressly designed for this edition

London: printed at the Shakespeare Press, by W. Nicol, for John Major, Fleet Street, 1831. First Edition thus. Original Cloth. Fine. First Edition with Cruikshank's illustrations and introductory verses by Bernard Barton, complete in two volumes. 8vo (173 x 105mm): [8],xvi,434,[2]; [4],406,[2]pp, with engraved steel frontispiece depicting Friday kneeling to Crusoe in each volume and 38 woodcut vignettes throughout. Original green pebbled cloth, paper labels printed in black to spines. An excellent set of this scarce edition (one label with tiny abrasion affecting Major's name, small snag to cloth covering one board), tightly bound in contemporary cloth, fresh and bright (virtually pristine) with rich impressions of the plates. Cohn 229. Widener, p. 112. Lowndes II, 614. Jerrold, p. 131. Ullrich 51. Lovett 301. Patten I, pp. 335-36. Another edition of this classic from another publisher but using the same plates appeared in 1836. Cruikshank was a favorite of publishers of illustrated fiction, and they vied especially to secure his services for their editions of Robinson Crusoe. The novel was a particular favorite of Cruikshank; he had begun designing wood blocks for it as early as 1819, when he etched a frontispiece for an edition published by T. Hughes, as well as five more plates for a rival edition brought out by J. Fairburn. (These were the first substantial illustrations since 1790, when Stockdale published an edition with engravings after Stothard.) Since then, abridged versions of the novel abounded, but, in 1831, "Major intended to restore the full text and produce an edition that deserved 'a place in the library of every scholar and man of taste.' He wanted Cruikshank's plates to stand comparison with 'the celebrated Series by the admirable Stothard.'" (Patten). N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).