Description
First English edition of Thomas Jefferson’s Notes On The State Of Virginia, with maps.
Octavo, [4pp], 382pp, [2pp blank], lacking half-title. Rebacked in contemporary marbled boards, half calf spine with gilt title, five compartments with gilt illustrations, four raised bands. Wear to spine and covers. Plain endpapers with page end speckled brown, occasional foxing and browning. Contains advertisements/contents page and full map on Page 32. Signature G (81-96pp) bound upside down. Previous owners signature on title page, notes on page 382 in ink. (Sabin 35896) (Howes J-78) Tipped-in map from Second American Edition (1794), with tape repairs to seams, repaired tear to panel, some toning due to age, dated 1794 on table. Housed in custom made brown leather clamshell case, gilt title on spine.
Notes on the State of Virginia was the only book published by Thomas Jefferson during his lifetime. The first version of this book was completed by Thomas Jefferson in 1781. It was published anonymously in Paris in 1785, with a limited run of 200 copies, while Jefferson was serving as trade representative of the US Government to France. Its first appearance in English is this edition, The Stockdale Edition, published in London in 1787.
