Game and Play of Chess

Caxton, William. Game and Playe of the Chesse, 1474: A Verbatim Reprint of the First Edition. Edited by William E. A. Axon, Elliot Stock, 1883.

This 1883 reprint is a verbatim reproduction of William Caxton's original 1474 edition of Game and Playe of the Chesse, which was one of the first books ever printed in English. The reprint includes a (really long) introduction by William E. A. Axon, offering historical context on both Caxton’s life and the cultural significance of the book. The text itself is based on a moralized version of a medieval work by Jacobus de Cessolis, which uses the game of chess as an allegory for society, illustrating fixed social roles.

This book is a rare and valuable insight into early English printing and thought, making it a significant work for collectors of chess literature, historians of the Middle Ages, and those interested in the development of English language texts​.

This is a nicely put together paperback book. It's not a manual on how to play chess. I can't find any ISBN on this book. Our copy is in very good condition, with light wear. There are some terrific woodcuts throughout. It provides an interesting example of Chaucer's English. 

Asking $45.