The Iliad of Homer Value Guide

This antiquarian leather-bound volume features Alexander Pope's celebrated translation of Homer's epic, a work Dr. Samuel Johnson hailed as an unequaled literary performance. Produced in the United Kingdom between 1750 and 1840, these editions reflect the era's deep fascination with classical Greek literature and high-quality bookbinding.

What Is The Iliad of Homer Worth?

The typical price range for The Iliad of Homer is $110 - $120 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The physical condition of the leather binding, specifically the presence of cracking or red rot on the spine.
• Completeness of the volume, including all internal pages, maps, or frontispiece engravings.
• The presence of original gold leaf gilding and the clarity of the embossed decorative elements.
• Provenance or historical ownership marks, such as bookplates from notable 18th or 19th-century libraries.

How to Identify The Iliad of Homer?

• Verify the title page attributes the translation to Alexander Pope, typically published in the United Kingdom.
• Look for period-accurate materials including hand-tooled leather covers and gold leaf detailing on the spine.
• Check for 18th or 19th-century typography and paper quality consistent with the 1750-1840 production era.
• Examine the binding for traditional techniques such as raised bands on the spine and marbled endpapers.

History of The Iliad of Homer

Alexander Pope's translation of the Iliad, first published between 1715 and 1720, is considered one of the greatest literary achievements of the 18th century. Dr. Samuel Johnson famously called it a performance which no age or nation could hope to equal. This specific edition represents the widespread popularity of classical Greek literature in the English-speaking world during the 18th and 19th centuries.