“THE FIRST COMPLETELY ORIGINAL AMERICAN NON-SCHOLARLY BOOK”

(IRVING, Washington) KNICKERBOCKER, Diedrich. A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty. London: John Murray, 1820. Octavo, early 20th-century half red morocco gilt, elaborately gilt-decorated spine, raised bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. $1500.

First English edition of Washington Irving’s first major production.

Published under the name of Diedrich Knickerbocker (one of Irving's many pseudonyms), A History of New York is "a monument of mock-erudition… perhaps his greatest book" (ANB). Irving began this literary parody in response to Mitchill's Picture of New York (1807), "but instead found himself writing a comic history of old New York, in a compound of sense and nonsense which still brings chuckles of laughter, reminiscent of nothing so much as Don Quixote… this is the first completely original American non-scholarly book" (Grolier American 100). The success of "Knickerbocker" won Irving literary fame in America and Europe. "Though this was one of the first-fruits of his inventive talent, it is risking but little to affirm that in its peculiar qualities it has not been surpassed by any later efforts… of its accomplished author" (Allibone, I:935). Sabin notes that "Indeed, it will not be saying too much, to assert that a large portion of the readers of the present day owe their knowledge of the history of New York to the interest created by this unrivaled performance." First published in 1809; the title page of this first U.K. printing states it is "a new edition." Bound by Root & Son. BAL 10227. Howes I83. Sabin 35152. Grolier American 100 28.

Contents with faint foxing; sides and edges slightly rubbed, spine gently toned, small area of discoloration to lower front corner. A very good copy, handsomely bound.