1853 Rare Book - Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Author: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.
Title: Don Quixote de la Mancha. Translated from the Spanish.
Publisher: London, Henry G. Bohn, 4 & 5 York Street, Covent Garden, 1853.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 9 x 6.25 inches (22.8 x 15.9 cm).
Pages: viii-507 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good splendid contemporary full tan calf leather binding, finely tooled with gilt floral compartments to spine, dark brown morocco spine label lettered in gilt, triple gilt fillets to boards, gilt dentelles, all edges marbled. Marbled endpapers (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing or staining mainly to the engraved plates' margins - as shown, ownership inscription on front blank: "George Edmund Wichett from his sincere friend Edward Montagu Earle Welby on his leaving Eton, Election 1854." - as shown).  
Illustrations: Richly and profusely illustrated throughout with full-page engravings including a frontispiece and an elaborate pictorial title page. The illustrations bear the signature of the artist in many instances (notably "J. Gilbert" on the title engraving), suggesting high artistic quality characteristic of Bohn editions.

Estimate: (USD 350–500).

The book: A handsome 1853 Henry G. Bohn edition of Don Quixote de la Mancha, one of the most enduring works in Western literature. Known for its refined design, this single-volume edition combines Bohn’s commitment to scholarly integrity and aesthetic presentation. The inclusion of dozens of finely engraved illustrations adds rich visual depth to Cervantes’s literary masterpiece, while the stately 19th-century binding in polished calf gives this copy both collector appeal and distinguished presence. The marbled edges and endpapers further elevate the production quality.

The author: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547–1616) was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright whose Don Quixote is often regarded as the first modern novel. Published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, Don Quixote satirizes chivalric romance while celebrating the complex interplay between illusion and reality. Cervantes's influence on European literature is immeasurable, and Don Quixote remains one of the most translated and studied literary works of all time. 

The illustrator: Although not officially credited on the title page, many illustrations in this edition are signed “J. Gilbert,” referring to John Gilbert (1817–1897), a celebrated English illustrator and painter. Gilbert was known for his detailed wood-engraved illustrations and was a frequent contributor to Bohn’s series of classics. His dynamic and dramatic style greatly enriched the storytelling of this edition.