The Treasury of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Edited by Clifton Fadiman. Special Edition. Gryphon Editions. New York, 1992.

In our digital age, we tend to presume the widespread accessibility of information and the ubiquity of information resources. But the fact is it took centuries of work to make our richly adorned infosphere possible today. There are numerous projects that contributed to our access to information, but perhaps the most significant is the Encyclopedia Britannica. It was first published between 1768 and 1771 by a group of Scottish businessmen and intellectuals. They came together somewhat haphazardly at first, with the founders, Colin Macfarquhar and Andrew Bell, seeking out the talented editor William Smellie. Soon after, other contributors joined the project, and over the course of several years, they produced arguably the most important text of the Scottish Enlightenment. It remains a major resource of general information. It was not the first encyclopedia, but it stood out in the English-speaking world for its breadth and quality of information. And the project continued to grow for several centuries. In this volume, the editors compile some of the most intriguing entries from the Encyclopedia Britannica from its many years in print. The work showcases the evolution of information and knowledge as evinced by this longstanding resource. For any collector of the history of science, it is a delightful and inspiring volume.

This special edition is in near-fine condition. In the original blue leather, finely gilt stamped. Raised bands. Gilt spine label. Text block near-fine. Gilt edges only lightly rubbed. Silk bookmark sewn in.

A near-fine collector’s copy of The Treasury of the Encyclopedia Britannica.