Books and Manuscripts

Marshall, John
The Life of George Washington, Commander in Chief of the American Forces...and First President of the United States...
Philadelphia: Printed and Published by C.P. Wayne, 1804-07. In six volumes (five 8vo text volumes, and one 4to atlas volume). First edition. (ii), xxii, 488, 45; viii, 560, 72; viii, 580; 28; viii, 626, (2), 16; vii, (i), 779, (1), 36; atlas: (ii), plates, 22 (subscriber's list) pp. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece portrait of Washington by D. Edwin after Gilbert Stuart in first volume, with tissue guard. Atlas volume illustrated with 10 engraved maps (nine double-page, one folding). Full contemporary tree calf, red and black morocco spine labels, Vols. I-IV rebacked with original spines laid down, boards and extremities rubbed and variously worn, spines dry and chipped, some labels chipped, joints rubbed, bottom front joint of third volume slightly cracked; all edges trimmed; contemporary ownership signature of "Williams" at front of each text volume; heavy foxing to frontispiece; scattered light to moderate foxing throughout set, predominately in second and third volumes; dampstaining in second and third volumes; scattered darkening to text leaves. With the contemporary ownership signature of "T. Biddle" at head of each title-page, presumed to be the same Thomas Biddle in the List of Subscribers (likely first son of Clement Biddle, 1776-1857), or bearing a family relation. Atlas volume bound in contemporary marbled boards, rebacked with brown calf, original printed orange cover label, boards and extremities rubbed and lightly worn; in light brown cloth fall-down-back box. Howes M-317; Sabin 44788 

First edition of John Marshall's magisterial biography of George Washington, including the scarce and complete atlas volume. Jared Sparks states that "after the able, accurate and comprehensive work of Chief Justice Marshall, it would be presumptuous to attempt a historical biography of Washington."