Kent, James. Commentaries on American Law. New York: O. Halsted, 1826-27-28-30. First editions. Four volumes. 8vo. 508; 528; 413; 550 pp. 3 volumes bound in modern leather, one volume in contemporary leather, black leather spine labels. Adapted from his lectures at Columbia Law School starting in 1794, Kents Commentaries are "The foremost American institutional legal treatise" (DAB). "Without Kent and Story, it is doubtful that the common law could have been received as readily as it was or that judicial decision could have taken over as the law's growing point… Above all, the text writers and their affiliated law schools were a great unifying influence in American law" (Schwartz, 111). Kents Commentaries "contain not only a clear statement of the English law, with all the alterations that have taken place since the time of Blackstone, but a full account of the main principles of Equity, also, a review of the modifications engrafted on the English law by the different states of the Union… and on all important questions, an instructive parallel between the English, American, Modern Continental and Civil Laws" (Marvin, 438). A scarce set of first editions of Kents landmark work on American law. Sabin 37473.

Minor rubbing. Scattered foxing.