Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 16

1st US Edition of ‘Enquiry Concerning Political Justice’ by W Godwin 1796

$2,999per set
£2,307.03per set
€2,677.81per set
CA$4,229.31per set
A$4,737.53per set
CHF 2,488.32per set
MX$57,606.89per set
NOK 31,510.31per set
SEK 29,911.76per set
DKK 19,985.51per set

About the Item

PRESENTING AN EXTREMELY RARE FIRST US EDITION hardback copy of “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness by William Godwin, First American from the Second London Edition Corrected in Two Volumes, Printed by Bioran and Madan, Philadelphia 1796. These RARE books are in good condition for their age with some ‘knicks’ on the edges of the vellum spine and cover, but otherwise very GOOD. The text is good, some foxing, as one would expect from books this old. Vellum with gold lettering. AS AN ADDED BONUS -the Books comes with a Label belonging to it’s original owner, Major William Alexander Obenchain, a Civil War personality who served on General Robert E. Lee’s Staff, and after the War became President of Ogden College in Bowling Green, KY (now the University of Western Kentucky). He has numbered the Books No. 10 & 11 in his Collection. They are also signed by their First Owner – Dr. Eleazer Sweetland of Botetourt County, VA (W.A. Obenchain’s grandfather) – one dated 4th January 1832 and the other Jan 21, 1833. One is also signed by Elizabeth Anne Sweetland (mother of WA Obenchain), who inherited them from her father, Eleazer. These books were part of the extensive private collection of the Calvert Hall/Obenchain Collection/Estate, formerly of Bowling Green, KY and later, Highland Park, Texas. As you can see from the Provenance, these Books were ‘handed down’, through the Sweetland/Van Meter/Obenchain Families, since the very Early 19th Century. They have remained in Family Ownership until NOW. YOU WILL NOT FIND THESE BOOKS ANYWHERE ELSE What makes these Books SPECIAL are that:- (1) They are a VERY RARE First US Edition and (2) they were owned (and signed) by a prominent early Virginia Settler, Dr. Eleazer Sweetland, and (3) were owned/inherited by his grandson and Civil War personality (Major W.A. Obenchain) William Alexander Obenchain. Born April 27, 1841 at Buchanan, Botetourt Co., Virginia. Parents: Thomas Jefferson Obenchain and Elizabeth Ann Sweetland. Entered VMI on July 18, 1859 as a member of the VMI (Virginia Military Institute) Class of 1862 and was graduated (1st in his class) in December 1861–this class was graduated early due to the Civil War. Served in various capacities as an Engineer officer throughout the Civil War. At rank of Captain he was a senior ranking officer in the Virginia Corps of Engineers and served on Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Staff. He was promoted to the rank of Major, for meritorious conduct near Richmond in 1864. Post-War Career- Educator. Taught at Hillsborough Military Academy (NC), Pittsboro (NC) Military Academy, Western Military Acad. (New Castle, KY), University of Nashville, Ogden College, Bowling Green, KY. Married Eliza Calvert Hall (famous Author) of Bowling Green in 1885. Obenchain died August 17, 1916 at his home in Bowling Green, age 75. Provenance: Part of the Calvert Hall/Obenchain Collection/Estate. Condition: Good ORIGINAL CONDITION.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 7.2 in (18.29 cm)Width: 4.8 in (12.2 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Style:
    George III (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Leather,Paper,Engraved
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1796
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor structural damages. Minor fading.
  • Seller Location:
    Dallas, TX
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU3978145097802

More From This Seller

View All
John Bull Original Annuals from 1820-1829
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a set of 9 volumes, leather bound John Bull yearly annuals. All the weekly newspaper publications of John Bull for the years 1820-1829 (Inclusi...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English George III Books

Materials

Paper

Demosthenis Selectae Orationes by Richard Mounteney 1791 7th Edition
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a fabulously rare antiquarian book from 1791, namely, Demosthenis Selectae Orationes by Richard Mounteney 1791 7th Edition. Leather Spine in very good condition. Leathe...
Category

Antique 18th Century English Classical Greek Books

Materials

Leather, Paper

1st Edition of ‘Rural & Domestic Life of Germany’ by W Howitt -1842
By William Howitt
Located in Dallas, TX
PRESENTING AN EXTREMELY RARE FIRST EDITION hardback copy of ‘The Rural and Domestic Life of Germany with Characteristic Sketches of its Cities and Scenery, Collected in a General To...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century English Country Books

Materials

Paper

C Plinii Caecilii Secundi Epistolae Et Panegyricus, 1712
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a very rare and ‘old’ antiquarian book, C Plinii Caecilii Secundi Epistolae et Panegyricus dated 1712. Published by Johannus Minellii in 1712. Covered and bound in v...
Category

Antique Early 18th Century Italian Classical Roman Books

Materials

Leather, Paper

Genealogies and Sketches of Some Old Families of VA and KY by BF Van Meter 1901
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting an extremely rare first edition hardback copy of Genealogies and Sketches of Some Old Families Who have taken Prominent Part in the Development o...
Category

Early 20th Century American American Colonial Books

Materials

Paper

'Bibliomania or Book Madness' by Thomas Frognall Dibdin, 1842
Located in Dallas, TX
PRESENTING AN EXTREMELY RARE EDITION hardback copy of ‘Bibliomania or Book Madness; A Bibliographical Romance. Illustrated with Cuts’, by Thomas Frognall Dibdin, D.D. New and Improve...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century English Early Victorian Books

Materials

Paper

You May Also Like

2 Vols Antique Book, Morant's History Of Essex, English, County Reference, 1816
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is 2 antique volumes of Morant's History of Essex. An English, county reference book, dating to the Regency period, dated 1816. Full title: The History and Antiquities of the C...
Category

Antique 1820s British Regency Books

Materials

Leather, Paper

2 Volumes. William Whiston, The Works Of Flavius Josephus.
Located in New York, NY
2 Volumes. William Whiston, The Works Of Flavius Josephus. The learned and authentic Jewish historian and celebrated warrior with three dissertations. Bound in full brown calf, raise...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Books

Materials

Leather

John Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 3 Volumes 1798 and 1801
Located in Morristown, NJ
(3) Vols., John Locke, Esq. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding; with Thoughts on the Conduct of the Understanding. Printed for Mundell & Son and J. Mundell, 1798 (Vol. I) and 17...
Category

Antique 1790s Scottish George III Books

Materials

Gold Leaf

Ireland House of Commons 1753 Vol. III and Statutes at Large 1703-1719 Vol. IV
Located in Morristown, NJ
Two leather bound volumes published in Dublin, Ireland in the mid 1700's. The Journals of the House of Commons of the Kingdom of Ireland from the Eleventh Year of King James the Fir...
Category

Antique 1750s Irish Georgian Books

Materials

Gold Leaf

The Works of Samuel Johnson. 12 vols. NEW EDITION - 1810 - IN A FINE BINDING
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: JOHNSON, Samuel. TITLE: The Works of Samuel Johnson. With An Essay On His Life And Genius, by Arthur Murphy. PUBLISHER: London: for many, 1810. DESCRIPTION: NEW EDITION. ...
Category

Antique 1810s American Books

Materials

Leather

Gilpin, Wm: Observations... on Great Britain, and High-Lands of Scotland, 2 vols
Located in Middletown, NY
This is Gilpin's third in his series of works tracing picturesque beauty in British natural landscapes. In it he portrays the landscapes of Scottish Highlands, and describes them lyrically in his text. Prefacing the list of Prints at the end of the second volume, the author says "With regards to the prints, which adorn these volumes, I can only say..... that few of them pretend to be 'exact portraits.' They in general 'only characterize the countries,' through which the reader is carried." The illustrations, based on Gilpin's sketches, were etched by his nephew William Sawrey Gilpin using the newly invented aquatint process. This volume also includes a technical discourse about drawing and the mixing of colors, including a chart (vol. 1, p. 131-134) William Gilpin (1724 – 1804) was an English artist, Church of England cleric, schoolmaster and author. He is best known as a travel writer and as one of those who originated the idea of the picturesque. Gilpin's tour journals circulated in manuscript to friends such as the poet William Mason and a wider circle including Thomas Gray...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century English Books

Materials

Leather, Paper