Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 17

Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin, With Essays, in Two Volumes, 1796

About the Item

Franklin, Benjamin. Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin, Consisting of His Life Written by Himself together with Essays, Humorous, Moral & Literary, Chiefly in the Manner of the Spectator, in Two Volumes. London: G. Dilly, 1796. Octavo. Original front boards, rebacked in new matching calf leather, spine tooled and titled in gilt. Presented with a new archival slipcase. Presented is the 1796 edition of The Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin, printed in London by G. Dilly. Issued in two volumes, both volumes have the original front boards, rebacked in new matching calf leather, with the spine tooled and titled in gilt. The volumes are presented with a new archival slipcase. This is an early collection of papers by the Pennsylvanian polymath and founding father, Benjamin Franklin. Published within six years of his death, this collection offers rich evidence of the pragmatic brilliance of this founding father, who was described as "a great genius" by John Adams. Featured in these two volumes is a retranslation of Benjamin Franklin's famed autobiography, first published in French in 1791, "the most widely read of all American autobiographies." Also included are his numerous scientific essays, like "Letters and Papers on Electricity," and key political writings such as his "Causes of the American Discontents before 1768," works on the Stamp Act that include a transcript of his 1766 examination before the House of Commons, "The Way to Wealth," his essay on "The Slave Trade," and extensive correspondences. A collected Works was first published in France in 1791, Germany in 1792, and Sweden in 1792. An edition in English was published in London in 1793. This edition was published in London in 1796 by G. Dilly. It features the original bookplate of Henry Marcus Beresford. CONDITION: Two Volumes. Octavos. Original front boards, rebacked in new matching calf leather, spine tooled and titled in gilt. Wear to front boards, with scratches, dents, and bumping, as expected with age. Interior pages have scattered foxing and staining. Original bookplate of Henry Marcus Beresford. Presented with a new archival slipcase with an inlay of Franklin on the front. Book Dimensions: Vol I - 5 11/16"H x 3 11/16"W x 7/8"D, Vol II - 5 3/4"H x 3 5/8"W x 7/8"D. Slipcase Dimensions: 6 1/8"H x 3 15/16"W x 2 3/16"D. Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.
  • Creator:
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 6.13 in (15.58 cm)Width: 3.94 in (10.01 cm)Depth: 2.19 in (5.57 cm)
  • Style:
    Federal (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Leather,Paper,Embossed,Gilt
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
    1790-1799
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1796
  • Condition:
    Additions or alterations made to the original: Presented with a new archival slipcase with an inlay of Franklin on the front, by Felton Bookbinding in Ontario, Canada in December of 2024. Repaired: Rebacked in new matching calf leather, spine tooled and titled in gilt, by Felton Bookbinding in Ontario, Canada in December of 2024. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor structural damages. Minor fading.
  • Seller Location:
    Colorado Springs, CO
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BK11441stDibs: LU909743575702

More From This Seller

View All
The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, with His Life, Written by Himself, 1835
By Benjamin Franklin
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Franklin, Benjamin. The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Consisting of Essays, Humorous, Moral, and Literary, with His Life, Written by Himself. Exeter: J & B Williams, 1835. In origi...
Category

Antique 1830s American Federal Books

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Paper

The American Revolution by John Fiske, Later Printing, Two Volumes, 1901
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Fiske, John. The American Revolution. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1901. In two volumes. Reprint ("Twenty seventh thousand"). 8vo. Three-quarter tan calf, blin...
Category

Antique Early 1900s American Books

Materials

Paper

The Photographic History of the Civil War in Ten Volumes, by Francis T. Miller
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Miller, Francis Trevelyan (editor). The Photographic History of the Civil War in Ten Volumes. New York: The Review of Reviews Co., 1912. Quarto, ten volume set, in original blue cloth gilt bindings. Illustrated with thousands of photographs, plus maps. This is an important 10-volume photographic history of the Civil War, edited by Francis Trevelyan Miller. The set was first published in 1911, the 50 year anniversary of the start of the Civil War. This 1912 edition contains “thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities.” This mammoth work contains written contributions from over 39 academics, writers, veteran officers of both Union and Confederate forces, and President William H. Taft. A number of the photographs are from the collections of private individuals, as well as the extensive Eldridge Collection of Mathew Brady Civil War photographs...
Category

Vintage 1910s American Books

Materials

Fabric, Paper

The Life of George Washington by Jared Sparks, Later Printing, 1854
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Sparks, Jared. The Life of George Washington. Auburn and Buffalo: Miller Orton & Mulligan, 1854. Later printing. Two volumes in one. Octavo. Rebound in 1/4 brown leather and cloth boards, with gilt titles, tooling, and raised bands. New archival cloth slipcase. Presented is a later edition of Jared Sparks’ esteemed biography, The Life of George Washington. First published in 1839, Sparks’ The Life of George Washington is one of the earliest and most intimate biographies of our first President. This printing was published in Auburn and Buffalo by Miller Orton & Mulligan, in 1854. Impressively detailed, the biography is embellished with 14 engraved plates of portraits, views, and battle plans...
Category

Antique 1850s American Federal Books

Materials

Leather, Paper

The Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence by N. Dwight, 1860
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Dwight, Nathaniel. The Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. New York: A. S. Barnes & Burr, 1860. Later printing. Octavo. Rebound in ¼ leather and cloth boards, wi...
Category

Antique 1860s American Federal Books

Materials

Leather, Paper

Life of Napoleon Bonaparte by William Milligan Sloan, in Four Volumes, 1896
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Sloane, William Milligan. The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte. New York: Century Co, 1896. Four volume quarto set. Handsomely bound in half red Moroccan leather and cloth boards, spines r...
Category

Antique 1890s American Books

Materials

Paper

You May Also Like

12 Volumes. Benjamin Franklin, The Works.
Located in New York, NY
12 Volumes. Benjamin Franklin, The Works. Compiled and edited by John Bigelow. Federal Edition. Limited to 1,000 copies of which this is 398. Bound in 3/4 red morocco with marbled bo...
Category

Early 20th Century American Books

Materials

Leather

10 Volumes. Jared Sparks, The Works of Benjamin Franklin
Located in New York, NY
10 Volumes. Jared Sparks, The Works of Benjamin Franklin, with notes and a life of the author. Rebound in full red morocco. Gilt-tooling on the covers and raised band spines. All edg...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century American Books

Materials

Leather

Complete Works Of Benjamin Franklin. LETTER-PRESS EDITION. 10 VOLUMES - 1887
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: FRANKLIN, Benjamin (John Bigelow - editor). TITLE: The Complete Works Of Benjamin Franklin. PUBLISHER: NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1887. DESCRIPTION: LETTER-PRESS EDITION. 1...
Category

Antique 1880s American Books

Materials

Leather

20 Volumes. Benjamin D'Israeli. The Works.
Located in New York, NY
20 Volumes. Benjamin D'Israeli. The Works. Bound in full blue morocco with marbled boards and gilt tooling on the covers and raised band spine. Top edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Col...
Category

Early 20th Century American Books

Materials

Leather

The Writings Of Benjamin Franklin. 10 VOLUMES - IN A FULL LEATHER BINDING!
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: FRANKLIN, Benjamin (Albert Henry Smyth - editor). TITLE: The Writings Of Benjamin Franklin. Collected And Edited With A Life & Introduction. PUBLISHER: New York: The Macmi...
Category

Antique Early 1900s American Books

Materials

Leather

6 Volumes. R.S. Surtees, The Works
Located in New York, NY
6 Volumes. R.S. Surtees, The Works. Titles include "Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tours," "Handley Cross," "Ask Mama." Bound by Bayntun in 3/4 red morocco with red linen boards. Gilt-tooling...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century British Books

Materials

Leather

Recently Viewed

View All