1765, Johnson's Dictionary, Folio Set

Updated August 6, 2026

Lot number	2
Auction	1066: Rare Books & Bookworm, ONLINE-ONLY Sale
Date	August 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT
Auction house	Addison & Sarova Auctioneers
Location	Social Circle, Georgia

Estimate: 300 / 3000 Johnson, Samuel. A DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. London: Printed by W. Strahan, for A. Millar, T. Longman [et al], 1765. 2 vols. Folio, 17" x 10.25". Both titles printed in red and black, woodcut tailpieces; first volume with Preface, History of the English Language, and a Grammar of the English Tongue preceding the dictionary. An attractive example, with period calf boards expertly rebacked and with edges restored. THE THIRD EDITION of Johnson's monumental work on the English language. According to Noah Webster, "Johnson's writings had, in philology, the effect which Newton's discoveries had in mathematics." Condition: Boards with some old scuffs and scratches, gutters reinforced with linen and preserving the early endpapers. Contents overall quite clean. Titles with early ownership inscriptions, pastedowns with old library labels and later "Released" stamp. Some light foxing in places throughout; a very few pages with some light staining to margins. a Very good set.

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