[ILLUSTRATED BOOKS]. EGAN, Pierce, imitation. Real Life in London; or, the Rambles and Adventures of Bob Tallyho, Esq. and his cousin, the Hon. Tom Dashall, through the Metropolis. London: Jones & Co., 1821-1822.

2 volumes, 8vo. 34 hand-coloured engraved plates including frontispiece and additional engraved title in each volume, and the 2 extra plates, after Alken, Brooke, Dighton, Rowlandson and others. (Some spotting, several plates trimmed close to letters.) Early 20th century brown morocco gilt, spines in 6 compartments with 5 raised bands, gilt-lettering in 2, others gilt tooled, all edges gilt (joints touched up).

FIRST EDITION, small paper copy of this Pierce Egan imitation. FIRST STATE of letterpress title in volume I with the publisher's address given as "Oxford Arms Passage, Warrick Lane" and without the publisher's announcement on p. [x] of the preliminaries. FIRST STATE OF ALL PLATES, except plate 27 which Abbey describes as "a rare plate, seen in the first state once only." P. 13 watermarked "1820." Abbey Life 280 ("From a bibliographical point of view, one of the most complicated and bewildering books ever published"); Tooley 198.

This lot is located in Chicago.