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William Caxton: A Biography

William Caxton: A Biography

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William Caxton: A Biography

by Painter, George D

  • Used
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Near Fine in Fine dust jacket
ISBN 10
0399118888
ISBN 13
9780399118883
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Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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About This Item

NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Near Fine in Fine dust jacket. 1977. First American Edition. First Printing. Hard Cover. 0399118888 . Publisher's full blue cloth, gilt lettering on brown panel on spine, gold endpapers. Illustrated with 15 plates and reproductions. Includes Notes on the Illustrations, Select Bibliography, References, Chronological List of Caxton's Editions, Caxton's Device as Evidence for Dating, and detailed Index. "Caxton is one of the most famous yet least known of great Englishmen. The sources for his eventful life are unexpectedly rich and varied, but have not as yet been adequately studied and interpreted. They range from the abundant contemporary documents in which his name and affairs are mentioned, to the hundred surviving editions of books from his press, with their texts, types, and woodcut illustrations, and the revealing and entertaining prologues and epilogues which he wrote for them. An attractive and original but distinctively English character emerges, a man of gusto, piety and humour, of business acumen and enduring political loyalties, a gifted compulsive writer with a special delight in printing his own works, an editor-publisher of Chaucer, Gower, Lydgate and Malory who enriched English literature by translating the bestsellers of France and Burgundy, and the offstage companion, as propagandist and protégé of Yorkist and Tudor royalty and nobility, of the heroes and villains of Shakespeare's Henry VI and Richard III. In this biography I have described and discussed every known Caxton document and edition, both intrinsically and in relation to the events, persons, and movements of contemporary history in which Caxton was so intimately involved. I have tried to rectify the disconcertingly many established and hitherto unsuspected errors of fact or inference in the work of William Blades, E. G. Duff, W.J. B. Crotch and others, to bring new light and truth to all aspects of Caxton's career from an independent study of the primary sources, and to write for the general reader, the student, and the specialist scholar alike. New conclusions are reached on Caxton's family connections, his early activities as apprentice in London and cloth-trader at Bruges, his appointment and fall as Governor of the English merchants in the Low Countries, his diplomatic missions in the protracted trade negotiations of the 1460s, his discovery of his vocation for writing and printing, his relationships with his instructor Johann Veldener and Colard Mansion his associate, and the foundation and chronology of his first press at Bruges.Caxton's hitherto unrealised function as a Yorkist and Tudor propagandist is explored in detail as a major key to his entire career as a printer. New information is given on the sources and authorship of Caxton texts previously misattributed, and dates are supplied on new typographical and other evidence for many of Caxton's undated editions." . Former owner's name neatly written on title page, otherwise unmarked, unread, tight, square, and clean. The unclipped dust jacket, now in Mylar, is in perfect condition. NEAR FINE/FINE. . Reproductions. 8vo 8" - 9" tall. xi, 227 pp .

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Details

Bookseller
Round Table Books, LLC US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
27203
Title
William Caxton: A Biography
Author
Painter, George D
Format/Binding
Hard Cover
Book Condition
Used - Near Fine in Fine dust jacket
Edition
First American Edition. First Printing
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0399118888
ISBN 13
9780399118883
Publisher
G. P. Putnam's Sons
Place of Publication
NY
Date Published
1977
Keywords
0399118888, Biography;, William Caxton;, Publishers;, Printers;, Biography;, Printers;, Publishers;, William Caxton;, English printing;
Bookseller catalogs
Books About Books;

Terms of Sale

Round Table Books, LLC

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About the Seller

Round Table Books, LLC

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2008
Palatine, Illinois

About Round Table Books, LLC

Round Table Books, LLC lists rare, beautiful and interesting books. All books are described accurately, packed carefully and shipped promptly. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED - Any book may be returned within 30 days of receipt for a full refund.

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Jacket
Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
Device
Especially for older books, a printer's device refers to an identifying mark, also sometimes called a printer's mark, on the...
Spine
The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Tight
Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
Fine
A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
New
A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
Gilt
The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
G
Good describes the average used and worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects must be noted. (as defined by AB...
Title Page
A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
Cloth
"Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...

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