Details
Miscellaneous Poems
Andrew Marvell, 1681
MARVELL, Andrew (1621-1678). Miscellaneous Poems. London: for Robert Boulter 1681.
First edition of the principal collection of Marvell's poems, the handsome Jerome Kern and Bradley Martin copy. This copy with manuscript addition "On Blood's Stealing the Crown," a satire which did not appear in print until 1697. In his own lifetime, Marvell was primarily known as a political satirist. Despite having served alongside John Milton as a Latin secretary for Cromwell, he avoided punishment (and saved Milton from execution) under Charles II and served as an MP in the Cavalier Parliament. Many of his poems circulated in manuscript or were printed anonymously due to their politically sensitive content and sharp observations of government corruption. When he died rather suddenly of illness, many speculated he had been poisoned by his enemies.
This collection of his witty poetry, including the now iconic To His Coy Mistress, appeared after his death, finally under his own name. According to a prefatory note, they were arranged for publication from his papers by his wife, Mary Marvell—but there is no evidence that they were ever actually married. Mary Marvell was actually Mary Palmer Marvell's landlady and housekeeper at the time of his death, who may have faked the marriage in order to help collect a debt from Marvell's estate. This copy has the usual gap in pagination necessitated by the suppression of three impolitic poems on Cromwell; the cancellanda are only known to survive in two copies. Grolier, Wither to Prior 536; Pforzheimer 671; Wing M-872.
Folio (291 x 182mm). Engraved portrait frontispiece, woodcut printer's device (portrait renewed at inner margin just touching edge of plate mark, title repaired at lower inner margin, portion of the blank lower margin torn away from C2, gutter dampstain in second half, occasional stains). Forest green Jansenist morocco by The French Binders, Garden City (rebacked, spine sunned). Custom clamshell box. Provenance: Marvell’s poem On Blood’s Stealing the Crown has been copied in manuscript twice - Jerome Kern (morocco book label, his sale, Anderson Galleries, 21 January 1929, lot 865) - Frederick Spiegelberg (morocco booklabel, his sale Anderson Galleries, 3 November 1937) - H. Bradley Martin (bookplate, his sale, Sotheby's New York, 1 May 1990, lot 3042).
Details
Miscellaneous Poems
Andrew Marvell, 1681
MARVELL, Andrew (1621-1678). Miscellaneous Poems. London: for Robert Boulter 1681.
First edition of the principal collection of Marvell's poems, the handsome Jerome Kern and Bradley Martin copy. This copy with manuscript addition "On Blood's Stealing the Crown," a satire which did not appear in print until 1697. In his own lifetime, Marvell was primarily known as a political satirist. Despite having served alongside John Milton as a Latin secretary for Cromwell, he avoided punishment (and saved Milton from execution) under Charles II and served as an MP in the Cavalier Parliament. Many of his poems circulated in manuscript or were printed anonymously due to their politically sensitive content and sharp observations of government corruption. When he died rather suddenly of illness, many speculated he had been poisoned by his enemies.
This collection of his witty poetry, including the now iconic To His Coy Mistress, appeared after his death, finally under his own name. According to a prefatory note, they were arranged for publication from his papers by his wife, Mary Marvell—but there is no evidence that they were ever actually married. Mary Marvell was actually Mary Palmer Marvell's landlady and housekeeper at the time of his death, who may have faked the marriage in order to help collect a debt from Marvell's estate. This copy has the usual gap in pagination necessitated by the suppression of three impolitic poems on Cromwell; the cancellanda are only known to survive in two copies. Grolier, Wither to Prior 536; Pforzheimer 671; Wing M-872.
Folio (291 x 182mm). Engraved portrait frontispiece, woodcut printer's device (portrait renewed at inner margin just touching edge of plate mark, title repaired at lower inner margin, portion of the blank lower margin torn away from C2, gutter dampstain in second half, occasional stains). Forest green Jansenist morocco by The French Binders, Garden City (rebacked, spine sunned). Custom clamshell box. Provenance: Marvell’s poem On Blood’s Stealing the Crown has been copied in manuscript twice - Jerome Kern (morocco book label, his sale, Anderson Galleries, 21 January 1929, lot 865) - Frederick Spiegelberg (morocco booklabel, his sale Anderson Galleries, 3 November 1937) - H. Bradley Martin (bookplate, his sale, Sotheby's New York, 1 May 1990, lot 3042).
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
