[Oldys, William].

The British Librarian: Exhibiting a compendious review or abstract of our most scarce, useful, and valuable books in all sciences, as well in manuscripts as in print…

London: Printed for T. Osborne, 1738. First edition. Chip at foot of spine, front hinge starting to crack, occasional light foxing. A good, clean copy. Old calf, rebacked and recornered in sheep, edges stained red. Octavo. [2], vii, [5], 402 pp. Item #10333

The first English periodical devoted to rare books. In 1737 William Oldys, who was later librarian to the Earl of Oxford, published anonymously The British Librarian, in six monthly numbers from January to June, 1737. Among the works discussed are Hakluyt's Voyages, Froissart's Chronicles, Caxton's translation of Virgil's Aeneid, Sir Thomas More's English works.

Price: $750.00