PBA Galleries

11 volumes. Frontispiece portrait in volume 1. (8vo) 21.5x13 cm (8½x5") full calf, gilt borders, gilt decorated spines, morocco spine labels lettered and numbered in gilt, marbled edges. First Pickering Edition.

Scarce and handsomely bound complete set, with 9 volumes of Johnson's works and two of the Parliamentary Debates. Although William Pickering began his legendary publishing career in 1820, it wasn't until 1825, after a move to larger premises, that he began to produce substantial numbers of high quality editions. In the latter year, Pickering began his association with the Oxford firm of Talboys and Wheeler, and with this association began the series of books known collectively as the Oxford English Classics. This collection of Johnson's work is considered among the most valuable of the series, and Brunet calls the collection "one of the best, and the most complete to this time."  With the decorative bookplate of the Merceron family.