Not dated but c 1870. vi, 634pp. Blue cloth boards with bevelled edges, elaborated decorated with gilt and black tooling and feathering around a recessed, gilded centre piece, with Longfellow raised in red. Elaborate gilt work along a flat panelled spine (boards gently rubbed at corners, else fresh, strong and bright). All edges gilt. Perhaps the most beautiful binding on the works of Longfellow we've seen, short of a fine leather binding. With numerous steel engraving illustrations by various artists, bound between red bordered pages. With a previous owner's gift inscription, dated 1881, on the front endpaper. Occasional spotting. A truly beautiful book.
Decorative binding, Beautiful Books, poetry, longfellow
