❦Rare Books Intel

John Gay

15 copies for sale · $20–$900 · 3 first editions

Notable copies for sale

Fables. With a life of the author and embellished with seventy plates (first edition) — Rulon-Miller Books$900
The Distress'd Wife. A Comedy (first edition) — James Cummins Bookseller$500
Poems on Several Occasions (first edition) — James Cummins Bookseller$400
Poems on several occasions...With a biographical and historical account of the author and — Rulon-Miller Books$100
GAY'S FABLES. In One Volume. Complete From the Last London Edition — Bartleby's Books$250
POEMS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS — Bartleby's Books$150
Two Epistles; One, to the Right Honourable Richard Earl of Burlington; The Other, to a Lad — James Cummins Bookseller$500
GAY'S FABLES. In One Volume Complete. From the Last London Edition — Bartleby's Books$250
The shepherd’s week. In six pastorals — Rulon-Miller Books$225
The Beggar's Opera — Between the Covers$105
CAST IRON: ARCHITECTURE AND ORNAMENT, FUNCTION AND FANTASY — Rare Book Cellar$58
THE ANNOTATED QUOTABLE DAWSON By Edited By John Gay **Mint Condition** — eBay$49

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Works on the market

GAY'S FABLES. In One Volume Complete. From the Last London Edition2 copies · $250
The Beggar's Opera2 copies · $20–$105
Fables. With a life of the author and embellished with seventy plates1 copy · $900
The Distress'd Wife. A Comedy1 copy · $500
Two Epistles; One, to the Right Honourable Richard Earl of Burlington; The Other, to a Lad1 copy · $500
Poems on Several Occasions1 copy · $400
The shepherd’s week. In six pastorals1 copy · $225
POEMS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS1 copy · $150
Poems on several occasions...With a biographical and historical account of the author and 1 copy · $100
CAST IRON: ARCHITECTURE AND ORNAMENT, FUNCTION AND FANTASY1 copy · $58
THE ANNOTATED QUOTABLE DAWSON By Edited By John Gay **Mint Condition**1 copy · $49
The Beggar's Opera to which is added the music to each song1 copy · $20

Market context

7 copies of John Gay's works have left the market recently; the median last-listed price was $100 (last listed prices at time of sale or removal, not confirmed sale prices).

Recent auction results (hammer prices, premiums not included):

Fables, 2 vol., first Stockdale edition, first issue, subscriber's copy with Sir John Fred (forum, 2026-08-06)£500
Fables, 2 vol., for John Stockdale, 1793; and others (6) (forum, 2026-05-07)£200

Listings aggregated from rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide; refreshed continually. Prices are seller asking prices unless marked as auction results.