An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, copy #36 of the finely bound, limited Japanese bicentennial edition, a pristine set still housed in the publisher's original shipping box and accompanied by the publisher's original invitation to the 1976 publication party and Bibliographical Story of The Wealth of Nations

Adam Smith

Edité par Yushudo Booksellers Ltd., Tokyo, 1976

A propos de cet article

This large, lovely, finely bound edition of one of the most important works of economics is compellingly handsome, intriguing in origin, and a perfectly-preserved, half-century old time capsule. Per the limitation statement: "This facsimile edition is issued to commemorate the bicentenary of the first edition of The Wealth of Nations. Planned cooperatively by English, American and Japanese firms, it is published by Yushodo Booksellers Ltd., Tokyo, 1976. One thousand copies have been printed, of which 981 are for sale." These two-volume sets are magnificently substantial, each volume measuring 11.75 x 9.75 x 1.75 inches (29.8 x 24.8 x 4.5 cm) and, together in their slipcase, weighing 9 pounds 4 ounces (4.2 kg). The bindings are full, pebble grain, reddish-brown Morocco goatskin with raised spine bands bracketed by double gilt rules with gilt printed and gilt decorated compartments. The contents are printed on laid paper and bound with silk head and tail bands and marbled endpapers. The two volumes are housed together in a rigid, blue cloth-covered slipcase, the interior lined with white felt.This set is number 36, so identified by "36" hand-written on the Volume 1 limitation statement. Condition is as-new, owing to the fact that the set has spent the half-century since publication sealed in the publisher s original stout, two-piece cardboard shipping box, which features a label printed in both English and Japanese with the set number number "36" handwritten thereon. This shipping box is in rather remarkable condition, clean and intact with only minor scuffs and bumps. Within, the books are essentially as they were when placed within by the publisher; the bindings, contents, and slipcase are all immaculate, with no signs of wear, soiling, spotting, or handling.Accompanying this set are two items attendant to original publication. The first of these documents, a small, folding brochure measuring 7.25 x 5.25 inches (18.4 x 13.3 cm) featuring a front cover illustration of Smith, is the original publication party announcement and invitation, held at "4:00 p.m. Monday October 4th, 1976" at "Hotel Grand Palace". This was apparently a major event, including a film. The second item is a 44-page, perfect-bound book in strikingly-textured gray card wraps and measuring 8.25 x 5.75 inches (21.6 x 14.6 cm). This book is the Bibliographical Story of The Wealth of Nations with authorship credited to "W. R. Todd" and "K. E. Carpenter" and a Japanese author, the contents printed almost entirely in Japanese. The 1976 copyright specified on the title page verso is held by the publisher, Yushodo Booksellers Ltd. The Wealth of Nations was first published in 1776, strikingly coincident to the Declaration of Independence by the fledgling American republic that would, in time, become the standard bearer for the development potential of market forces. Wealth has gone through innumerable editions in the ensuing quarter of a millennium."The Wealth of Nations had no rival in scope or depth when published and is still one of the few works in its field to have achieved classic status, meaning simply that it has sustained yet survived repeated reading, critical and adulatory, long after the circumstances which prompted it have become the object of historical enquiry." (ODNB) Wealth has been recognized as the first work of political economy. "As philosopher Smith had taken up the challenge of providing an imaginary machine that would render coherent the everyday appearances of an emerging world. In contrast to the existing systems, agricultural and mercantile, he advanced a system of natural liberty capable of supporting a branch of the science of a legislator or statesman (Smith, WN, 428) which had grown in significance in all modern societies where commerce was beginning to dominate their domestic and international economic relations. The object of the science was to amend the related practical art by providing legislators with a set of principles to g.

N° de réf. du vendeur 007942

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, copy #36 of the finely bound, limited Japanese bicentennial edition, a pristine set still housed in the publisher's original shipping box and accompanied by the publisher's original invitation to the 1976 publication party and Bibliographical Story of The Wealth of Nations
• Éditeur: Yushudo Booksellers Ltd., Tokyo
• Date de parution: 1976
• Reliure: Full leather
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • Other Non-Fiction