Works of Publius Virgilius Maro *RARE OGILBY VIRGIL* Virgil (Virgilius), John Ogilby (translator)

The Works of Publius Virgilius Maro. Translated by John Ogilby. Contains Virgil's Bucolics, Georgics and The Aeneid. ***RARE first Duodecimo edition with only one institution holding of a physical copy located (Princeton) and a record of only four having been sold via auction. This copy is complete and original - including binding, endpapers and blank flyleaves (very scarce). Ogilby editions are known for their translations into a more accessible English. First Ogilby editions (the 1654 illustrated Folio) sell for as high as $20,000. Overall Condition: antiquarian GOOD PROVENANCE: From the Virgil Collection of Craig Kallendorf (1954 - 2023), who owned the largest private collection of antiquarian Virgil works (1,150 editions, not including Incunable books) in the world. Only a handful of prominent institutions like the British Library had larger collections. Eighth-nine of the books in his collection were the only known surviving copies, 71 only had one other known copy. He worked closely with Princeton University in helping to assemble, supplement and catalog its Junius Spencer Morgan Virgil collection. Craig Kallendorf was Professor of English and Classics at Texas A&M University. He was the author or editor of 27 books and more than 170 articles, book chapters, and reference work entries. ABOUT THE BOOK Published in 1665 for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in St. Paul's church-yard in London, England. First Ogilby Duodecimo (12mo) edition. Text in English. Bound in its original full calf binding: boards with double fillet paneling in blind and corner fleurons; spine with three raised spine bands; ruled in gilt. About 6" x 4", [4], 380 pp. with original blanks and endpapers. Woodcut head-piece scrolls and decorated woodcut initials for each work. ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR John Ogilby (1600 - 1676) was a Scottish translator, impresario, publisher and cartographer. Ogilby's most-noted works include translations of the works of Virgil and Homer, and his version of the Fables of Aesop. Ogilby established Ireland's first theatre in Werburgh Street, Dublin, and following the Restoration, that country's first Theatre Royal. Ogilby played a significant part in arrangements for the coronation of King Charles II. Following the Great Fire of 1666, Ogilby's large-scale map of the City of London was founded on precise survey work, and his Britannia is the first road atlas of England and Wales to be based on surveys and measurements and drawn to scale. CONDITION REPORT: GOOD Externally FAIR. Internally Good to Very Good Collated and complete and original. Like the copy held by Princeton, pages 69, 168, 184-185, 188-189 incorrectly numbered 99, 681, 182-183, 186, 186, respectively. Hinges and joints still holding strong. Binding exposed in the gutters between leaves in many locations. All of the gilding has faded away over the centuries, with the exception of the fore-edge board gilt work. Heavily rubbed extremities with sections of leather worn away. Large sections of back strip leather are missing, exposing the binding and cords. Spots of darkening on the leather. Grubby endpapers with abrasions and margin chipping. Text block generally quite bright and clean with an infrequent to occasional spot of foxing or smudge, and a few ink stains. Some areas of light marginal worming, particularly the preliminaries and first few leaves. Former owner writing in antiquarian ink on FFEP, a few inked dates and numbers on title page, and former owner signature at head of first dedication page. FFEP with Kallendorf's ex libris sticker. All in all, a VERY SCARCE complete copy of the first duodecimo Ogilby translation of Virgil's works in its original full leather binding and with its original endpapers.