Reports of State Trials, New Series. 1820-1858, 8 Volumes.
Complete Set of MacDonnell's "Excellently Edited" Reports [Trials]. Macdonell, Sir John, Editor. Wallis, John E.P., Editor. Reports of State Trials: New Series, 1820-[1858]. Published Under the Direction of The State Trials Committee. London: Printed for H.M.S.O., by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen, 1888-1898. Eight volumes. Complete set. Main text in parallel columns. Portrait frontispieces with tissue guards. Maps. Fold-out plans. Facsimiles. Octavo (9" x 6"). Cotemporary quarter morocco-stamped cloth over contrasting cloth boards, gilt title to spines, library name to front boards and foot of spines, library insignia to rear boards. Light rubbing to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, somewhat heavier rubbing to boards and extremities of Volume VIII, a few minor tears to spine ends, front hinge of Volume VIII cracked, library bookplates, labels and card pockets to front pastedowns and endleaves, small inkstamps to title pages and a few leaves of each volume. Light toning to interiors, light soiling to endleaves. $500. * First edition. The first collection of English state trials was published in 1719. It formed the nucleus of later collections produced in the next hundred years under the direction of later editors, most notably Francis Hargrave and William Cobbett. The final volume, containing reports of cases from 1820, appeared in 1826. In 1885 Parliament decided to produce an edition of later reports, so they commissioned a "new series" covering the years from 1820 to 1858 under Macdonell's direction. Holdsworth says it is an "excellently edited" work, an opinion shared by many critics. Cited frequently, it remains a standard work. Holdsworth, A History of English Law XII:128.
Price: $500.00
Book number 74700