This beautiful antique edition of Shirley by Charlotte Bronte was published by Smith, Elder and Co is 1887. The book is bound in original half leather with marbling to the text block edges. The spine features four raised bands with delicate gold gilt decoration.
Shirley is a lesser known novel from the author of Jane Eyre. It's a fascinating insight into social history, revolving around the Luddite uprising when machinery was starting to replace people in industrial towns.
The book is in good condition for it's age with the most noticeable flaws being the fading to the spine and loss to the surface of the leather corners. The boards have light marks and rubbing and there is some wear to the board edges and corners. The spine (as well as being faded) have some scuffs and marks to the leather, and crushing to the head of the spine.
Inside, there is a written inscription on the reverse of the frontispiece. The pages show light discolouration and rippling. There are some superficial cracks to the gutter in places but the pages remain tightly bound.
Dimensions approximately 17.2cm x 12cm x 2.8cm.
The book will arrive hand wrapped in patterned wallpaper and ribbon.
I use a range of eco friendly, 100% recyclable jiffy bags and boxes, and whenever possible I use brown paper tape. The green bubble wrap is oxo-degradable and the clear bubble wrap is 100% recyclable. I also reuse boxes when I feel it's appropriate (if the boxes are sturdy enough).