This stunning edition of Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was published by Bell and Daldy in 1866. So it's from the earlier part of the Victorian era. It's a fine example of Victorian bookbinding, and features a beautiful cloth binding.
The book is bound in brown cloth with elaborate gold gilt decoration to the front board and spine. It's in remarkably good condition considering it's almost 160 years old. The corners are lightly worn and crushed, and there is minor bumping to the board edges. The book shows a slight forward lean and there is some soiling to the boards. There is crushing to the spine ends which has caused some splitting in the cloth.
Inside, there is very minor cracking starting to the hinges and there is a written inscription on the title page. The pages show age toning and minor marking, and there is light creasing to the paper in places. There are some superficial cracks to the gutter but the pages remain tightly bound.
Dimensions approximately 19cm x 14cm x 1.5cm.
This beautiful antique edition of Hans Christian Andersen's Tales for Children was published by Bell and Daldy in 1866. So the book is from the early to mid Victorian era.
The book has undergone some restoration work and a new cloth spine has been inserted under the old, original spine. This retains as many of the original features as possible. The text block has also been resewn so the pages are tight to the binding and the book can be enjoyed for many years to come.
The book shows a forward lean and there is wear and crushing to the corners. The cloth has split to reveal the board beneath. The boards are marked and soiled, and there are some faint stains to the back board. There is light bumping to the board edges and the spine is darkened.
Inside, there is a written inscription on the reverse of the frontispiece and the pages show foxing and marking throughout. There is also sporadic creasing to the pages. The internal hinges show evidence of where the repairs have taken place.
The book features striking black and white illustration which add to the appeal of this Victorian Children's book - translated from the original Danish into English.
Dimensions approximately 20cm x 15cm x 3cm.
The book will arrive hand wrapped in patterned wallpaper and string.
I use a range of eco friendly, 100% recyclable jiffy bags and boxes, and whenever possible I use brown paper tape. The green bubbled wrap is biodegradable and the clear bubble wrap is 100% recyclable. I also reuse boxes when I feel it's appropriate (if the boxes are sturdy enough).