Don Juan [Unique Miniature Edition, 1826]

Description

Rare [likely unique] miniature printing in the style of the scarce Jones’s Diamond Poets series.

Green silk over [hard] paper boards; black title pastedown on spine with gold lettering; all edges gilt; extremities bumped with some small loss to top of spine; small chip in f.e.p.; internally fine; 430pp inc notes.

This very early edition (Thomas White, 1826) came to us within a traveller’s library of Jones & Co’s classic miniatures (c1820s & 30s). Although appearing outwardly part of this set (which we have for sale separately), this book differs from the other 50 volumes in a number of areas.

The first anomaly is its contemporary nature: printed in 1826, it is complete in 16 cantos [Canto XVI was completed shortly before Byron’s death in 1824 – the writing of Canto XVII had begun but remained unfinished] where the other volumes are largely older classics.

The next point of interest is the lack of publisher’s advertisements – the Jones & Co volumes contain multiple pages extolling the virtues of their books, miniature & otherwise.

Thirdly, and most interestingly, the title page declares this volume “Printed For The Proprietor”. As to whom precisely this refers, alas, we cannot say in certitude. It may be Thomas White but we haven’t found any ownership marks in the other volumes to corroborate this.

Regardless, we know of no other copies having been sold on the open market or held in any institutions but would welcome any evidence to the contrary.

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