SCOTT, Walter, Sir (1771-1832). Ivanhoe. Edinburgh: for Archibald Constable and Co. and Hurst, Robinson, and Co., 1820. ORIGINAL CLOTH
3 volumes, 8vo (198 x 120 mm). Half-titles, Author's Advertisement leaf in first volume, 3 pages of advertisements at end of third volume. Original rose silk-covered boards, edges uncut, later morocco lettering-pieces gilt (rebacked preserving original spines, some overall wear or staining). FIRST EDITION OF ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR HISTORICAL NOVELS. This copy with points of the first state in vol.I as identified by Worthington with one exception: pagination ends on p.298, forme-mark on p.[iii] is 9; "Peter" reading on p.iv line 6; p.v, line 12 the second and fourth words are "which, not the third as noted in Worthington, but with the 6 forme-mark; observed" is the first word on p.vi, line14; without commas on p.ix, line 1 after "fought or p.xii, line 5 after "people"; "toilsome" reading on p.xv, line3; no forme-marks on pp.xvi, xix, or xxiv, forme-marks "9" on p.xxviii and "12" on pp.xxx; a comma after "paste" on p.xxix. The space between the horizontal rules on the half-titles to vols.II and III differ slightly in measurement from Worthington (31mm instead of 34 mm, and 34 mm instead of 31, respectively), as does the length of the horizontal rule on p.3 in vol.III (14 mm instead of 15); vol.II p.71 with the forme-mark "5" as per Todd (but not called for in Worthington). Scott wrote Ivanhoe between July and November of 1819. The first printing of 12,000 copies was released in December 1819, and completely sold out in two weeks. Todd 140Aa; Worthington 8.
