Works by Benjamin Franklin, First Edition (17 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition. Price clipped. Out of print.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. First Edition. Three engraved title-pages, frontispiece portrait, nine folding plates, one folding table, one double-page plate, three single page plates. First Edition. Three volumes. 8vo. [213 x 135 x 100 mm]. xiv, [ii], 440, [36] pp; vi, 468 pp; vi, [ii], 552 pp. Bound in contemporary half calf, marbled paper sides, smooth spines divided into six panels by a gilt pallet, lettered in the second and numbered in the fourth, the others with a central ornament, plain endleaves, lightly sprinkled edges. (Joints, headcaps and tips of the corners worn). Occasional light spotting or browning and dust soiling, including to a few of the plates, but a good copy. The bindings show some signs of wear but are sound and attractive. With the booklabel of Mr Paxton of Cholderton House, near Salisbury in Wiltshire. The house was built in 1690 and recently rebuilt after a devastating fire in 2012. The neighbouring St. Nicholas Church has an L-shaped front pew designed to enable Mr Paxton to sit with his back to the wall as he was averse to having people sitting immediately behind him. Franklin's works were first brought together in 1751, in a pamphlet which consisted of letters on the subject of electricity. This was enlarged in 1752 and again in 1754. In 1766 letters on the subject of philosophy were added. In 1779 another collection was printed of papers which had not appeared in the previous editions of Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces. In 1787 a third collection of Philosophical and Miscellaneous Papers appeared, followed in 1793 by two volumes of his Works [.] Consisting of his Life written by himself, together with Essays, Humorous, Moral & Literary, chefly in the manner of the Spectator. The present edition combines all of these previously published works, including some published for the first time in England.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. A nice hardcover 12 volume set. All books have a tight bindings and an unmarked texts. The Federal edition, number 336 of 1000 copies. 1904No overseas shipping due to size and weight. From a private smoke free collection. Shipping within 24 hours, tracking number and delivery Confirmation.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. An important collection that put most of Franklin's early writing in 10 volumes. First Stevens Edition. 4to. Dark burgundy cloth boards with gold embossed titling to spine. General wear and scuffing to covers. Text block has deckled edges, many pages uncut at top. Previous owner's name and address in ink on first free endpaper of each volume as a well as a bookplate showing the author had donated the volumes to the Thomas J. Shannahan Library at Marymount Manhattan College. Frontispiece illustration in each volume has created a light transfer shadow on each title page.

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. 1808 Ben Franklin 1ed Autobiography Essays ELECTRICITY America Philadelphia 4v Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. Benjamin Franklin Known as one of the most important and prolific founding fathers of America, Benjamin Franklin wrote several works that have left a legacy in American history. Franklin s famous Autobiography is often considered Franklin s best-known book and is an important part of Americana. Originally known as Memoirs by Franklin himself, Autobiography covers each aspect of Franklin s life including his studies in French, various letters he wrote while in Paris, the progress of his philosophies and experiments on electricity. This 1808 edition of Franklin s works contains the first American appearance of his autobiography, as well as many of his most famous essays including: On Pennsylvania o On Robert Morris, William Penn, etc. On electricity o Includes the Magic Circle of Circles On Meteorology On Navigation Art of Swimming On still of waves by oil On Principles of Trade Observations on War Cicero and Old Age On Earthquakes Political and congressional letters From Ford on this edition: This [Philadelphia] edition was begun in 1808 but owing to the delay of [William] Temple Franklin in printing his edition (with whom Duane had agreed to an exchange of material), it was not completed until 1818. Item number: #27592 Price: $995 FRANKLIN, Benjamin The works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin Philadelphia: printed and published by William Duane, 1809, 1808. First edition. Details: Collation: Complete with all pages; 4 volumes o Vol. 1 [4], xxxv, [1], 431, [1] o Vol. 2 [6], v, [1], 3-477, [1] 12 engraved plates o Vol. 3 [8], 407, [1] Engraved frontispiece o Vol. 4 [4], viii, [2], 434 o Note: the volume numbers above correspond with the spine of each tome; the title pages do not match References: Howes F 232; Sabin 25605; Ford 568 Provenance: Handwritten John H. Williams Language: English Binding: Leather; secure Size: ~8.5in X 5.5in (22cm x 14cm) VERY rare and desirbale with auction records and price comparisons at between $4,000-$5,000 Our Guarantee: Very Fast. Very Safe. Free Shipping Worldwide. Customer satisfaction is our priority! Notify us with 7 days of receiving, and we will offer a full refund without reservation! Photos available upon request.

Hardcover. Condition: Very good condition. First edition. A lovely copy of this three volume set in the full tree calf binding, with the original labels and silk bookmarks, the text block as bright as the day it was published. Franklin's works were first compiled together in 1751, enlarged in 1752 and again in 1754, 1766, 1779, 1787, and 1793. The present edition combines all of these previously published works including some published for the first time in England. Vol 3 includes a printed copy of the Franklin dispatch giving Capt. James Cook safe passage. All three volumes with the early heraldic bookplate of John Thomson. 3 vols, 8vo. Vol 1: xiv, (4) half title & bookseller adverts, 440pp, (36) pp (index), frontispiece portrait of Franklin, engraved title, 4 numbered engraved plates; Vol. 2: vi, (2) 468pp, plates 5 - 12 numbered engraved plates; Vol. 3: vi, (2) bookseller adverts, 552pp. Sabin; 7: 25495; Ford 550.; OCLC: 810750601. Full period tree calf, smooth spines divided into six panels by a gilt pallet, gilt outer dentelles, black and green title labels, original silk bookmarks, original marbled endpapers, speckled edges. All corners lightly rubbed through. Text block vey bright. Absolutely untouched.

Hardcover. Condition: Good +. First Edition. ix, [3], 317 p. 19 cm. Portrait vignette on title page. Full tree leather. Corners bumped, ring mark on front, front hinge cracking at top, spine ends chipped, some wear to edges. Ink signature at top of title page. Chip in margin of p. 33. Some foxing and thumbing but most pages bright and clean. Larger than usual mark to p. 157 bottom. Contents: Life of Dr. Franklin as written by himself; Continuation of his Life by Dr. Stuber; Extracts from his Will. Preface by Richard Price. Direction to the Binder rear of Contents page.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. First Edition. [Early Benjamin Franklin] 3 volume set. Bound in full calf. Rebacked, with renewed spines. Hardcover. Good binding and cover. Clean, unmarked pages. Frontis portrait of Franklin. 12 illustrated plates. Volume 1: xiv, [2], 440, [36] pages, [5] leaves of plates (2 folded); volume 2: vi, 468 pages, [9] leaves of plates (7 folded) [plates numbered V-VIII, VIII*, IX-XII]; volume 3: 542, 543*-556*, [543]-552, [4] pages. Volume 1 contains a biography of Franklin and papers on electricity. Volume 2 contains other scientific, philosophical and political subjects. Volume 3 is devoted to Franklin's writings on the Revolution. Contents: Vol. I. Life of Dr. Franklin ; Letters and papers on philosophical subjects: Electricity; Vol. II. Letters and papers on philosophical subjects ; Papers on subjects of general politics; Vol. III. Papers on American subjects before the revolutionary troubles ; Papers on American subjects during the revolutionary troubles ; Papers, descriptive of America, or relating to that country, written subsequent to the revolution ; Papers on moral subjects and the economy of life ; Appendix: no. I. Containing papers proper for insertion, but omitted in the preceding volumes ; No. II. Containing letters by several eminent persons, illustrative of Dr. Franklin's manners and character. Sabin 25495. Ford 550.

HARDCOVER. Condition: Very Good. 1st Irish edition. 303pp. Octavo, rebacked. Contemporary calf boards with delicate gilt borders have been retained, backstrip of modern black cloth with gilt titles, unusual faux-leather corner treatment that appears normal when the book is closed, complete with gilt-stamped borders, but is revealed to have an unfinished look when the interior is inspected, applied as it is over the endpapers and left untrimmed. Rubbing to rear board and leather and to extremities, plain gilt-ruled dentelles largely effaced; white cloth tape to hinges, text crisp and only lightly foxed, with occasional light wear. Contains the rare frontispiece depicting a younger-than-we-are-accustomed-to Franklin with a full head of short hair. The third edition to appear in English, translated, like the two London editions preceding it, from the French first edition, and preceding the American edition of 1794.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. First Edition Thus. Frontispiece, vi, (2), 303 pages. The first printing of the Dublin edition, preceded in the same year only by the 2-volume first London edition--both preceding the first U. S. edition published in 1794. The Dublin edition is significant not only for its apparent scarcity but also for the frontispiece, an unusual mezzotint portrait of a younger Benjamin Franklin that appears in no other edition and has seldom (if ever) been reproduced. The clean and tight book has been sympathetically rebacked, retaining the original red leather title patch. All edges of the textblock were stained a pale green, perhaps when the rebacking was done--the staining intrudes 1/16" onto the top and bottom margins of the frontispiece. Very light and faint foxing throughout; occasional smudges in the margins. Two large but light waterstains to the frontispiece but only minor and relatively unobtrusive intrusion into the image. Missing the front free endpaper. The book's condition is much nicer than it sounds; certainly an acceptable copy for the serious collector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Book.

SPARKS, Jared (illustrator). First Edition of "The Works of Benjamin Franklin" [FRANKLIN, Benjamin]. SPARKS, Jared, [editor]. The Works of Benjamin Franklin. Containing several political and historical tracts not included in any former edition, and many letters official and private not hitherto published; with notes and a life of the author. Boston: Hilliard Gray, and Company, 1836-1840. First edition on Franklin's Works. Ten octavo volumes (9 1/4 x 5 5/8 inches; 234 x 143 mm). Six of the volumes with engraved frontispieces, five of which are portraits, and one is a facsimile of a letter. Some engraved plates throughout, a few of which are folding. Title-pages with dates ranging frm 1836-1840, volume I states 1840. Modern blue morocco. With Franklin's signature on front board in gilt. Some stamped with gilt eagles and lettered in gilt. Marbled endpapers. All edges gilt. The final leaf of Volume II with outer corner torn, not affecting text. Frontis portraits in volumes IV and VII are toned, with some minor toning to following few pages. A plates in Volume IV also toned. Generally very clean throughout. An about fine set. HBS 68457. $5,000.

Full Leather. Condition: Fine. First Edition. Dublin: Wogan et al., 1793. First Irish edition, from the first English (London: Robinson, 1793), complete in one volume and published in the same year. All edges trimmed. New full dark green morocco binding, ruling and titles in gilt, 6 compartments, raised ridges. Lacking the frontispiece (COPAC). Exquisite handmade French swirl marble endpapers in shades of green. Preface by Richard Price (pp. iii-vi), table of contents (2 pp.), Life of Franklin, pp. 1-94, Continuation of his Life by Dr. Stuber, pp. 95-149, Extracts from his Will, pp. 149-158, Essays, pp. 159-303. Collection of his most famous essays. Text block generally in fine condition with occasional foxing at page edges. A very scarce and early edition of Franklin's life and works. Fine.

Condition: Good. 1st Edition. No volume or part number is indicated on the title page.Frontispiece. Text commences at title page and exterds rto page lxxxviii (end of index (plus an errata leaf). DISBOUND TEXT (No covers). Some early and late leaves are loose and have slight worm holes at spinal margin. Else a very clean tight text most suitable to rebind.

FRANKLIN, Benjamin. Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin: Consisting of His Life Written by Himself, together with Essays, Humerous, Moral & Literary, Chiefly in the Manner of the Spectator. London: G.G.J. & G. Robinson, 1793. 1st ed. 2 vols. [iii]-ix,[3],317; [6],268pp. plus errata. With engraved title pages and vignette portraits. Bound in modern 1/4 leather and marbled boards, red and black morocco spine labels, gilt decorated chambers, raised spine bands outlined in gilt. Title pages are a touch trimmed to the top margin, slightly cutting off the ownership signature, else a very good or better set. FORD, FRANKLIN 437. HOWES F323. SABIN 25600. GOODSPEED 524:88. ESTC T56600. The rare first English edition, first issue of Franklin's work, with the errata called for by Ford. "A collection of the 'popular' pieces of Franklin, together with a re-translation of the autobiography from the French translation of Gibelin, and Stuber's continuation. The editing was done by Benjamin Vaughan, who has clearly made use of his MS. copy of the autobiography in the re-translation. The work was prepared for publication in 1791, but withheld on account of Temple Franklin's announcement of an edition of his grandfather's writings. An additional volume of Franklin's scientific writings was also announced, but never printed" - Ford. "A part of Franklin's Autobiography appears here in English for the first time" - Goodspeed. Owing to the non-appearance of Temple Franklin's edition, this re-translation of the autobiography and the collection of essays has become the "popular" and one might almost say "chap-book" edition of Franklin's "Life and Writings". Ford.

A handsome set of Franklin's collected works, edited by Jared Sparks, whose biography of Franklin is included. "Sparks's documentary works displayed his unbridled enthusiasm for his nation and the belief that the original documents could effectively tell the story of the country's development" (ANB). 10 vols, octavo (222 x 136 mm). Attractively bound in recent brown morocco, spines lettered and decorated in gilt, raised bands, single rule to boards gilt, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. An excellent set.

Stated on the title as the Second American Edition. Frontispiece portrait engraved by Benjamin Tanner. v, [1], 206; 142pp. K1 and P4 torn with loss to lower corner affecting text. 12mo. "The most widely read of all American autobiographies . this book holds the essence of the American way of life" (Grolier, American). First published in Paris in French in 1791, the first American edition appearing in New York in 1794 published by Tiebout & Obrian. Subsequent "Second American editions" appeared in New York (by Samuel Campbell) and in Philadelphia (by Benjamin Johnson). Evans 27009; ESTC W17369; Ford 443; Sabin 25601; cf. Grolier American 21 Contemporary calf, worn. Browning and soiling, a few paper flaws and other faults Frontispiece portrait engraved by Benjamin Tanner. v, [1], 206; 142pp. K1 and P4 torn with loss to lower corner affecting text. 12mo Stated on the title as the Second American Edition.

Condition: Fine. Federal Edition. Including the Private as well as the Official and Scientific Correspondence. Together with The Unmutilated and Correct Version of the Autobiography. Compiled and Edited by John Bigelow. No.283 of a Limited Edition of 1000 sets. In a beautiful, contemporary 3/4 fawn morocco binding with raised bands on the spines in six compartments decorated and lettered in gilt; t.e.g. Size: 8vo. 12 Volumes.