“The first and greatest classic of modern economic thought”
22 SMITH, Adam.
First edition, one of an estimated 500 or 750 copies (Tribe); a particularly attractive copy in contemporary calf. “Where the political aspects of human rights had taken two centuries to explore, Smith’s achievement was to bring the study of economic aspects to the same point in a single work. The Wealth of Nations is not a system, but as a provisional analysis it is completely convincing” ( PMM ). It “had no rival in scope or depth when published and is still one of the few works in its field to have achieved classic status, meaning simply that it has sustained yet survived repeated reading, critical and adulatory, long after the circumstances which prompted it have become the object of historical enquiry” ( ODNB ).
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London: printed for W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, 1776 £275,000 [ 157906 ] 2 volumes, quarto (263 × 212 mm). Contemporary sprinkled calf, red and green morocco spine labels, raised bands and spine ends edged with gilt rules, blind rule border to board edges, edges sprinkled red. Housed in a custom brown cloth solander box. Bound without the half-title in vol. 2 (no half-title issued for vol. 1) and without terminal blank in vol. 1. Neat contemporary ownership initials on front free endpapers of each volume. Expert restoration at joints and extremities, and to a few small scuffs on boards; endpapers lightly foxed, else contents notably clean and fresh, with minimal marginal marks or soiling, a few gatherings still attached at fore edges (in vol. 1 3M–N, 3Q–R, 3S, and in vol. 2 3Y). Vol. 1: discreet paper repair to 3 cm tear in lower margin of A4, a couple of chips (to U4 affecting single digit of page numbers [pp. 151–2] and to 3N4 affecting catchword on p. 463), minor paper fault in lower margin of 3L3 (pp. 445–6). Vol. 2: tiny worm hole at foot of front pastedown gutter, with corresponding patch on rear free endpaper, chip to Kk4 obscuring page numbers (pp. 254–5). An excellent, crisp copy. ¶ Einaudi 5328; Goldsmiths’ 11392; Grolier, English 57; Kress 7621; Printing and the Mind of Man 221; Rothschild 1897; Tribe 9; Vanderblue, p. 3.
SIXTY FINE ITEMS
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