1602 Adam Islip-published Chaucer Works
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GUEST:
It is the complete works of Chaucer. It was given to me as a gift from a dear friend about ten years ago. He had bought it about 35 years ago from an antique book dealer in London.
APPRAISER:
The Chaucer that you brought in was published in 1602.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
In London. And the beautiful thing about it that I noticed straight away, is that it is in its contemporary, or first, binding. Which is a nice calfskin binding with an incredible, subtle detail, if you notice these roll-tool imprints.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
That was just a very nice, subtle way of decorating books at that time. It is a folio edition. That refers to the size of the paper. So the paper, when it is printed, is only folded once, so you have two sheets.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
It has, when you open it up here, a bookplate from an early owner, Mr. Anderdon Bridgewater, and this is his coat of arms. When you turn to the title page, you get all the crucial information about the book that you need. It is called "The Works of Our Ancient and Learned English Poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, newly printed." The book is his collected works. The editor of this book had done an edition in 1598, so it is the second with this particular editor.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
Once he'd done the first edition, there were people criticizing him for it, so he added a number of things, which are enumerated on the title page, and then it was published in 1602 by Adam Islip. It also has this incredibly beautiful woodcut border.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
And what makes this copy special is that the margins around the border are still very wide-- one of the other indications that this is an early binding.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
About 100 years later, after the publication of the book, it was in the possession of Henry Compton, Lord Bishop of London. His bookplate is dated 1701…
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
…so there we know, this is an early provenance. This is not a woodcut. This is a copper engraving, a portrait of Geoffrey Chaucer, with various decorations around it, and it's just very nicely done, the entire package. The binding is beautiful.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
It has a few slight repairs on the back, but that just helps to preserve the book. Do you have any idea what this book might be worth?
GUEST:
I really do not. I believe my friend paid $2,000 for it, approximately 35 years ago.
APPRAISER:
In today's market, an insurance value for the book would be around $8,000.
GUEST:
Okay, that's great.
APPRAISER:
Yeah, it's just... Was a real treat to see here at the ROADSHOW.
GUEST:
Yeah, it's a beautiful book.
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