Memoirs, Correspondence, and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States, Edited by Thomas Jefferson Randolph, Second Edition, Four Volume Set, 1830

Jefferson, Thomas. Memoirs, Correspondence, and Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States. Edited by Thomas Jefferson Randolph. Gray and Bowen/ G. & C. & H. Carvill, Boston/New York, 1830. Second edition, four volume set. Rebound in quarter calf and marbled paper boards, with a matching archival slipcase. 

This second American edition of Memoirs, Correspondence, and Papers of Thomas Jefferson was written by Jefferson, himself, and edited by his grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph. Originally published in Charlottesville, VA in 1829, this printing was published the following year by two publishers, Gray and Bowen in Boston and G. & C. & H. Carvill in New York. Volume I provides an engraved portrait of Jefferson, after Gilbert Stuart’s portrait, pasted opposite the title page. The work includes a four page facsimile of Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration of Independence, showing the late president’s handwriting and edits by the Committee of Five. All four volumes are presented together in a custom made archival slipcase.

Jefferson began writing his memoir on January 6, 1821 for his family and descendants rather than the public. The memoir lacks his typical polished diction used in his professional writings and gives a fantastic insight into the personality of the young nation’s third president. The majority of the volumes are made up of Jefferson’s correspondences with other notable figures such as George Washington and Patrick Henry. Generally, the letters range from 1774 and 1786 and cover topics such as the formation of the U.S. government, the Revolutionary War, and the hotly debated political boundaries of the time. Hand-picked by Randolph from over 70,000 papers Jefferson left for his grandson, this four-volume set includes some of the most high-profile topics of Jefferson’s life.

CONDITION: 

Good condition. Four volumes. Text block untrimmed, deckled edge. Scattered light foxing and some stains. Volume I has a 4-page, folded facsimile of A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, after page 146. Jefferson portrait offset to title page of Vol. I, through the tissue guard. 

Rebound in beautiful quarter calf and marbled paper sides, with raised bands, gilt tooling and gilt titles to spine. Presented in a new archival lined slipcase, with ribbon and inlaid portrait of Jefferson on the front. Dimensions, in slipcase: 10 3/4" H x 6 3/4" W x 7 3/8" D.