Women of History 1896 Illustrated Victorian Biographies Decorative Cloth
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
Title: Women of History
Selected from the writings of standard authors by the Editor of Men of History
Publisher: W. P. Nimmo, Hay, & Mitchell, Edinburgh
Date: 1896
Printed by Morrison and Gibb Limited, Edinburgh.
W. P. Nimmo, Hay, & Mitchell were active as publishers between approximately 1883 and 1916 and produced numerous decorative Victorian gift and educational books.
The book is illustrated with:
a beautiful, engraved frontispiece
small illustrations concluding chapters
This engaging Victorian biographical work presents portraits and accounts of many remarkable women from antiquity through to the nineteenth century.
 
Historical & Bibliographic Context
Published during the late Victorian era, Women of History reflects the growing nineteenth-century interest in historical biography and moral education through the lives of notable figures.
The volume brings together a wide selection of historical women including figures from classical antiquity, medieval Europe, royal courts, literature, science, and political history. Among the many subjects included are:
Cleopatra
Hypatia
Joan of Arc
Elizabeth I
Mary, Queen of Scots
Pocahontas
Maria Theresa
Charlotte Bronte
Victorian readers were fascinated by historical character studies and works such as this sought to present examples of intellect, courage, virtue and influence through carefully chosen biographical sketches.
Such volumes were often issued as gift books or educational reading, combining instructive narrative with decorative binding and illustration.
Today, such compilations are valued for their insight into Victorian perspectives on historical figures, as well as for their attractive decorative bindings and illustrative content.
 
Binding & Exterior Description
This volume is bound in the publisher’s original blue cloth over boards, richly decorated with gilt and black lettering and colour floral designs to both the front board and spine.
The binding remains intact, robust, and visually appealing, particularly considering the book’s age of 130 years.
Condition notes include:
light wear to corners and edges
bumping to the corners
small marks to the cloth
small rips to the cloth at the head and tail of the spine
the spine sits at a gentle lean
Overall, the decorative Victorian cloth binding still displays excellent shelf presence.
 
Interior Condition
The pages are lightly tanned, consistent with the age of the paper.
Condition internally includes:
foxing to the pastedowns and endpapers
light foxing to some preliminary pages
occasional small marks to pages
pages predominantly clean and neat
The pages are mostly uncreased, with only the occasional small crease visible.
There is:
a small tear to the bottom edge of page 194 and overleaf, not affecting text
a pen inscription on the front pastedown
a small bookseller ink stamp on the rear pastedown
Structurally:
light cracks appear between several pages
a crack between the frontispiece and title page
Despite these age-related features, all pages remain secure and there are no loose pages.
The book is complete, with all 304 pages present.
 
Physical Details
Pagination: 304 pages
Illustrations:
engraved frontispiece
small illustrations concluding chapters
Dimensions: 20 cm × 13.5 cm × 3 cm
Weight: Approximately 615 g
 
Collector Notes
Victorian decorative cloth biographies such as Women of History remain desirable among collectors of nineteenth-century books.
Points of interest for collectors include:
Victorian decorative cloth binding
illustrated frontispiece
wide-ranging biographies of notable women
publication by respected Scottish publishers