Books

Madrid: Gabriel de Sancha, 1797-98. First edition of the first annotated edition of Don Quixote. Octavo, five volumes, bound in contemporary tree calf, covers with a swashed diagonal cross, edged with a gilt roll, gilt bands and green lettering pieces, marbled endpapers, sprinkled edges. With 2 engraved portraits, 2 engraved headpieces, 3 folding maps, and 31 engraved plates executed by P. Duflos and Moreno Tejada after R. Ximeno, A. Navarro, Monnet and Camaron y Paret. In near fine condition. "This beautiful edition, which is printed on excellent paper, is of the highest importance for Pellicer's erudite notes and commentary, and for his painstaking corrections of the text" (Ruis). By focusing his attention on the authentic Spanish folklore that Cervantes would have drawn upon, Pellicer set the precedent for modern editorial methods. The present edition is illustrated with numerous fine plates, described by Ashbee as "among the finest produced in Spain." Palau 52030; Salva 1568;…

"Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes is a seminal work in Western literature, often regarded as the first modern novel. Published in two parts, the first in 1605 and the second in 1615, it tells the story of Alonso Quixano, a middle-aged gentleman from the region of La Mancha in central Spain. Obsessed with the chivalric romances of the Middle Ages, he loses his sanity and decides to become a knight-errant, renaming himself Don Quixote. He chooses a simple farmer, Sancho Panza, as his squire, promising him the governorship of an island. The duo embarks on a series of adventures, with Don Quixote seeking to right wrongs and bring justice to the world, driven by his absurdly outdated moral code and understanding of reality. The novel is famous for its satirical examination of the discrepancy between Quixote's fantasy world and the actual world of 17th-century Spain. This theme is most famously illustrated in the episode where Don Quixote fights windmills, mistaking them for giant monsters. Throughout their journeys, the pair encounters thieves, prostitutes, a chain gang, and various other characters, often causing more harm than good in their attempts to help. "Don Quixote" explores themes of truth and justice, the transition from the old world to the new, and the idea of madness versus sanity. Cervantes employs a narrative structure that includes stories within stories, allowing him to critique the social and literary conventions of his time. The novel has had a profound influence on the development of prose fiction and is considered a precursor to the modern novel. It is celebrated for its humor, moral integrity, and its deep humanity, offering a complex reflection on the nature of reality and the importance of empathy.