Abraham Lincoln: A History. by (LINCOLN, Abraham.) NICOLAY, John G., & John HAY - 1890

New York: The Century Co.,, 1890. 10 volumes, octavo (215 × 144 mm). Finely bound in contemporary dark brown full morocco, spines gilt in compartments, blind french fillet bordering sides, edges and turn-ins gilt rolled, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Illustrated frontispieces and numerous illustrations to plates and in the text. Contemporary ink gift inscription and pencilled note on the provenance of the set to the front of volume one. Some slight rubbing to extremities, mild offsetting to endpapers, a few hinges just starting, but still a very handsome set in excellent condition. First edition, first printing, of the set that is considered the official biography of Abraham Lincoln, by Nicolay (Lincoln's private secretary until his death) and Hay (Lincoln's assistant secretary, later appointed secretary of state in 1898).