1742, Cervantes, Don Quixote, Jervas Edition

Cervantes de Saavedra, Miguel. THE LIFE AND EXPLOITS OF THE INGENIOUS GENTLEMAN DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA. TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL SPANISH… BY CHARLES JARVIS. London: J. and R. Tonson and R. Dodsley, 1742. 4to, 2 volume set. 11" x 8.5". With engraved portrait of Cervantes and 68 fine engraved plates by Gerard Vander Gucht after John Vanderbank. xxiv, [8], xxv-xxxii, vi, [2], 88, [12], 355, [1]; xii, 388 pp. Without the divisional half-title (as often) sometimes found before the author's preface. Includes the Life of Cervantes, with title dated 1738. Early calf boards, rebacked.Interestingly, the present copy contains the "Life" in an unusual variant of 88 pages rather than the 90 seen in other copies; it appears much the same, but with reset type often adding one extra line of text to each page compared to the other; leaf a1 does not have the binder's mark "Vol. 1" printed below the text which is present in other copies we've examined, and this suggests that the present "Life" was probably issued separately and maybe the first impression (most copies of this set contain a reimpression of the Life.) We've found no other copy of this unusual variant. ****** The first edition of this translation by Jervas, presented in a large quarto format with finely engraved plates. The second issue, with Supplement bound between pages xxiv and xxv. The translation was by Charles Jervas, whose name was consistently misspelled on editions of his translation as "Jarvis." ESTC T59882The present example with the engraved armorial bookplate of George Whitelocke Lloyd and with his ownership signature to title.
Condition Report: Boards scuffed, short crack near head of front hinge of first volume. Volume 1 with frontis and title detached, some foxing and occasional minor soiling and offsetting from plates.