Buyer beware is a very appropriate expression when it comes to purchasing items on Ebay. Fortunately as opposed to many sites where books are for sale (Amazon, ABE, ETSY, etc., etc.,) most of the Ebay books come with pictures that can save the day and prevent a bad buy. I thought I would highlight some of these mistakes in the next few blogs.

Here is the Ebay blurb:
Essays of Elia -Charles Lamb – copyright 1899 1st. Ed. Hardcover Lit & Fiction

The Reality:
The Essays of Elia were first published in 1823 and 1833. Hundreds of publishing houses did reprints of this title.

The book shown here is part of the Petit Trianon Series and was published in 1899-1900.

Atemus first published this title in 1893 in its Altemus Library.

Thus not a true first edition nor an Altemus first edition.