1st Ed A Compleat Collection of State-Tryals, Featuring Captain Kidd, Dated 1719:
This is a beautifully refurbished 1st edition of the tome "A Compleat Collection of State-Tryals"
Dated 1719, this tome would be a first edition, 4th volume of a total set comprised of 4 volumes. Making this folio incredibly rare indeed. The second edition would expand upon this adding a further 2 volumes.
What makes this book special is that it features the one and only Captain Kidd!
His story is as long and revered as it is complicated.
Starting his "pirate" career as a sanctioned privateer for the British Navy to counter piracy in the Indian Ocean.
However, this all changed when he attacked an Armenian ship the "Quedagh Merchant" which was sanction to trade on behalf of the French. This caused the British East India Company and the Crown to view him as a Pirate (Likely under diplomatic pressure).
This all culminated when he arrived in the New World and plead his case in Boston. Where he was captured and sent to London to face trial. Here, sentenced as a pirate and for the act of murder, he was executed and held within a giblet to warn others against the crime of piracy.
Captain Kidd is also where the tale of a pirate's buried treasure comes from.
There were many printers involved in producing the collection their names are:
- Timothy Goodwin (near St. Dunstan’s Church, Fleet Street)
- John Walthoe (Middle Temple Cloysters and Cornhill)
- Benjamin Tooke (Middle Temple Gate)
- John Darby (Bartholomew-Close)
- Jacob Tonson (Against Katherine Street in the Strand)
- John Walthoe Jr (Royal Exchange Corn Hill)
The editor for this book series is unknown. However, it is generally accepted that Thomas Salmon was the "author" who brought together all these various trials to make the first case of a unified law record.
Thomas Salmon was a historian and geographer actively collaborating with printer John Darby from around 1716.
This copy maintains much of the original leather work, with a new canvas covering. This was done to keep in line with the how the tome was meant to look like. There is some staining and foxing from age. This book is 100% legible.
This book is a perfect addition to anyone who is interested in the history of both legalism and piracy, as this was printed towards the end of the Golden Age of Piracy.
Dimensions:
Weight - 3.8KG
Height - 36cm
Width - 24.5cm
Thickness - 6cm
Damage:
- There is foxing and staining throughout the book.
- The original leather (this has been place on top of new leather in the refurbishment) has some cracking.
