KENNETT, WHITE. Bibliothecae Americanae Primordia. An Attempt Towards laying the Foundation of an American Library.

KENNETT, WHITE. Bibliothecae Americanae Primordia. An Attempt Towards laying the Foundation of an American Library. [1], iii, xvi, 3-275, [228] pages. Small 4to (215x160 mm), early speckled calf, spine label renewed, minor rubbing; title page slightly trimmed and rehinged, later ink inscription on the title identifying the author partially bleached out. London: Printed for J. Churchill, 1713

first edition. "This is the earliest exclusively American catalogue . . . It is devoted particularly to the English colonies, and especially to New England. In order to advance the interests of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, White Kennett, Bishop of Peterborough, made a collection of books, charts, maps, and documents, with the intention of writing a history of the propagation of Christianity in the English colonies . . . The catalogue, of which but 250 copies were printed, was prepared with much care, titles being copied at full length with great accuracy, and gives the name of the printer and the number of pages in each volume"--Church 856; Sabin 37447; Streeter Sale 4363; Breslauer Sale 1022.
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