[Literature] Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer...

London: Printed for Bernard Lintot, 1721. First Urry edition. Folio. (li), 626, 81, (1, errata) pp. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece portrait of Urry by N. Pigne, engraved vignette of Chaucer's tomb on title-page, engraved portrait of Chaucer by George Vertue, 27 engraved head-pieces in "The Canterbury Tales" representing each of the story's pilgrims, and numerous woodcut initials and head- and tail-pieces throughout. Full contemporary brown calf, decorated in blind and in gilt, red morocco spine label, rebacked, wear to boards and spine, corners worn, head of spine chipped; red speckled edges; endpapers renewed; loss in bottom edge l2, affecting text; small open tear in fore-edge Ll2, not affecting text; scattered light soiling and foxing to text. Hammond, pp. 128-130

A handsome copy of John Urry's first edition of Chaucer's collected works, one of the principal editions of Chaucer, as well as the first to be printed in roman, rather than gothic, type. Urry's work "was the first edition of Chaucer for nearly a hundred and fifty years to consult any manuscripts and is the first since that of William Thynne in 1534 to seek systematically to assemble a substantial number of manuscripts to establish his text. It is also the first edition to offer descriptions of the manuscripts of Chaucer's works, and the first to print texts of 'Gamelyn' and 'The Tale of Beryn', works ascribed to, but not by, Chaucer" (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography). This edition was left incomplete upon Urry's death in 1715, was continued by Thomas Ainsworth until his own death in 1719, and was then finished by Timothy and William Thomas, who compiled the glossary printed in the rear.

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Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

Books and Manuscripts

[Literature] Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer...

Books and Manuscripts

[Literature] Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer...

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