Featured I was gifted this book , from a pal in San Fran.....

I know what it is.....& I think it's from a pair....& I think it's the 1st printing....& I've seen some on Worthpoint....& the condition is not great......
Does it still have any value?
I know what foxing is...but the discoloration here seems like it's a mix of wine splatter...& leaching of the printing ink..... could that be ??

All comments welcomed !!

 

Yes it is foxed, stained etc, but I find Biblical Dictionaries to be great fun and important reference tools (especially if you're into old master stuff like me!) .. and how else would a person know an Ezekiel's Reed is equal to 10 feet?

oops - misspoke! One-point-five Ezekiel's Reed is actually 10 feet, right?

 

Value? Umm..Kinda looks like the pages might be useful as Winter fire starter paper.

 

It's likely to have some value. If you go to eBay's Completed Listings, you'll see the 2 volumes that have been listed both sold. Condition no worse than yours.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nk...lc=1&_salic=1&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_fosrp=1

Debora

 

@Debora - No disrespect intended, but neither of these is a First American Edition.



@komokwa - Yours is, indeed, the First American, and is genuinely uncommon in commerce. If it were mine, I'd collate it carefully to ascertain completeness and then offer it to Swann Galleries in New York for consignment, by ringing David Rivera on (212) 254-4710. David's extension is 13.

The shorthand collation should be 2 preliminaries, 1003 numbered pages, and a number of folding cartographic plates. One of the institutions with a WorldCat listing will doubtless show the proper longhand collation:

https://www.worldcat.org/title/bibl...e-jews-and-neighboring-nations/oclc/006679479


Edited to add: there's currently a Second Edition (1833) being offered by a specialist dealer, in approximately the same condition as yours, priced at $650.00. The Second is relatively common in commerce.


Further edited to add that there's a digitised (Ideal) example of the 1832 edition available online via this link:

https://ie.on.worldcat.org/search?queryString=no:644715518#/oclc/644715518
.

 

1003...2 prelims & 4 maps.....i think it's all there...

 

Boy am I glad I don't have a fireplace !!!

 

@komokwa - I can't find a complete 1832 edition having sold at auction (in ABPC) since 1965. It's a book that ends up in institutional collections, and hence grows increasingly scarce in commerce with every example sold.
.

 

Yes it does....but my pal who sent it to me said I could do what I want with it...even to gifting it to my Rabbi.......but now I'm of the mind that he ...not knowing fully it's significance , should reap any benefit !!

 

@komokwa - why not first try to send it to auction, and if it does well, treat the proceeds like the opening Mishna of בבא מציעא suggests? Divide the sale by half with your Friend, and then let each of you divide half your portion to your Temple or Church? It was free, just as the cloak was. No one loses, and everyone wins.
.

 

Well, whatever you do with it, looks like you received one AWESOME, VERY SPECIAL GIFT, Komo!!!!!!!!!!

 

I just got off the phone with him........it cost him 20 bucks.....he read thru a lot of it...& doesn't want to see a dime from it !
BUT.....he agreed that whatever kindness I may wish to bestow upon him.....he will graciously accept without any fisticuffs !!!!!

 

in an effort to place this book in some historical context....
can anyone read the front page..?
Is that name of importance?

 

The manuscript ex libris reads, "Daniel Lorrey;" the rest is simply the short title: "A Biblical and Theological Dictionary."

Edit: There's an obituary for a Daniel Lorrey in The Boston Globe: Sunday, August 19, 1917 - Page 92.

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if the book could talk !!!

 

Agreed. It's rich in ethnic heritage and history. No brainer....I'd keep it, but also get someone with knowledge to write an appraisal.

You know...."trust God, but take the car keys....."

 

i'd like to keep it...but like Shallow says...."It's a book that ends up in institutional collections,"........& i'm kinda thinking that's where it should be for more folks to get their paws on it !

 

@komokwa - That's in a perfect world. The reality of it is more like this:

 

Risk.....is my business !!