An American Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibit, I. the Origin II. the Genuine Orthography III. Accurate and Discriminating Definitions (2 Volume Set)

Noah Webster

New York : S. Converse, 1828

2 volume set. First edition. Modern red leather, gilt ruled and embellished.  Black leather spine labels. Fine binding and cover.  Hand-made marbled end pages. Portrait of Webster. Pencil marks to front blanks, and some pages of volume 2. Contemporary owner's names on FEP up to title page. Eatonton, Georgia. Tanning and scattered foxing. Additions leaf at end of volume. 2 "STA" pages torn out and missing from volume 2. With the next 2 pages torn at top corner. Some damp staining to end pages.

Grolier, 100 American, 36. Printing and the Mind of Man 291. Sabin 102335. Skeel 583. HBS 64738.  

Webster's dictionary was a monumental work which took 26 years to complete.  Webster learned 28 languages to evaluate etymology.  His dictionary contained nearly 70,000 words, 12,000 of which had never appeared in a dictionary before.  (Noteably: skunk, squash, hickory, and chowder. )  Webster's dictionary was extremely important in establishing standardized definitions and spellings for American words and usage; such as color v. colour and music v. musick.  "This dictionary almost at once became, and has remained, the standard English Dictionary in the United States marked a definite advance in modern lexicography, as it included many non-literary terms and paid great attention to the language actually spoken." PMM, 291