Longfellow's Famous 'Dante Club' Translation of 'The Divine Comedy'

Alighieri, Dante (c.1235-1361), translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

The Divine Comedy [Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso]

Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1867. First Edition set. Full leather. Tall octavos. Vol. I: [i-iii], iv-vii, [viii-xii], [1]-413 pages; Vol. II: [i-iii], iv-vi, [vii-x], [1]-410 pages; Vol. III: [i-iii], iv-vi, [vii-x], [1]-452 pages.

Longfellow's landmark 'The Divine Comedy' stands as the first complete American translation of Dante’s masterpiece—a work of scholarly devotion and poetic restraint. It marked a turning point in Anglo‑American engagement with Dante, bridging Protestant New England and Catholic Florence through dignified blank verse. Longfellow’s rendering, aided by the “Dante Club” circle of Holmes and Lowell, remains a landmark of transatlantic literary humanism.

A beautiful unmixed set in luxurious 19th century full leather bindings. Elegant typography with generous spacing and margins. All three volumes have the uniform prior ownership signatures of artist William Fuller Curtis and his ancestor, Samuel B. Curtis, at top of the title page, demonstrating original set integrity and continuous provenance.

BAL notes four printings of each the three volumes in 1867 based on publisher records. Our copies of each volume are in accord with BAL's identification of the first printings where they are able to make a determination, as in the text of note 116 on page 223 of our 'Inferno' and that of note 32 on page 350 of our 'Purgatorio.' BAL flatly admits being unable to identify or prioritize the 1867 printings of 'Paradiso.'

Ref. BAL 12146.

Near fine. Bound in dark brown leather over bevelled boards, with ornamental border-ruling to upper and lower boards embossed in darker brown. Similar embossed dark brown elements to spines, along with gilt-stamped titles and five raised bands. Gilt dentelles on turn-ins, marbled endpapers, and all edges gilt. Bindings show a few minor scuffs, rubs, and an occasional patch of peeled top layer of leather. Hinges sound. A stunning, bright, and handsome set overall.

Item #2117

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