El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha: Nueva Edicion, Corregida Por La Real Academia Española.

The illustrated Ibarra edition of Cervantes' masterpiece "which is to Spanish literature what Shakespeare is to English" (Bloom). Quarto, 4 volumes, written in spanish, bound in full speckled calf with gilt titles and tooling to the spines in six compartments within raised gilt bands, red and black morocco spine labels, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, all edges speckled, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers. Engraved frontispiece to volume one, with 23 full page engraved plates throughout, and a 2-page folding engraved map of Don Quixote's travels to the rear of volume 1. Spanish printer Joaquín Ibarra made several important technical developments in press printing, book-making, typography and paper-making. In his printed work, Ibarra sought to achieve a perfect flow of harmonious type, inks, illustration, margins, and textures. He worked with the best painters and engravers of his time and, based on a secret formula he developed, the Ibarra ink gained a reputation for its exceptional quality and brilliance. The present volume was printed on "ex profeso" paper with melted types of "ex novo" on the pages, both of which Ibarra created in his Madrid workshop specifically for this project. In near fine condition. Ownership ticket of British essayist, historian, and politician Edward Gibbon to the front pastedown. An excellent example of both Cervantes' and Ibarra's best-known works. From the collection of Ken Rapoport.