Hajji Baba of Ispahan in England 1850 Bentley Frontis Two Vols in One
 
The Adventures of Hajji Baba, of Ispahan, in England By James Justinian Morier
Bentley’s Standard Novels – 1850
 
Publication Details
Title: The Adventures of Hajji Baba, of Ispahan, in England
Author: James Justinian Morier
Edition: Revised, Corrected, and Illustrated with Notes and an Appendix by the Author
Publisher: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, London; and Bell & Bradfute, Edinburgh
Date: 1850
Printer: Spottiswoode and Shaw, New-Street Square, London
Series: Bentley’s Standard Novels
 
This volume contains both Volume I and Volume II in one book, as confirmed by the contents pages. It includes a fine frontispiece steel engraving titled “Hajji Baba in England”, engraved by J. W. Cook after J. Cawse.
 
Binding
• Bound in brown blind-stamped cloth over boards
• Ornate blind-stamped borders to the boards
• Spine decorated with floral gilt tooling and gilt lettering
• No dust jacket (as issued)
 
Exterior Condition:
The binding is intact and structurally sound, with honest Victorian wear:
• Soft bumping and small rips at corners
• Partial splits along the long edge of the spine
• Rips at head and tail of spine
• Light surface marks and small rubbed areas
 
Despite wear, the volume retains strong visual appeal with attractive gilt and decorative cloth.
 
Interior Condition
• Yellow pastedowns and endpapers with publisher’s advertisements
• Pages lightly tanned with light foxing to the frontispiece and title page
• Occasional very light foxing elsewhere
• No pen or pencil writing
• Small embossed stamp at top of title page
• Pages predominantly uncreased, with minor inner-margin creasing in places
• Very small inner-margin rip to front pastedown
• Occasional roughly cut edges causing tiny edge rips (not affecting text)
• All pages tightly bound and secure
 
Collation:
All xvi + 343 pages + 8 pages of publisher’s adverts present and complete.
 
Dimensions & Weight
• Approx Dimensions: 17.7 × 11 × 3 cm
• Approx Weight: 335 g
 
Literary & Historical Context
James Justinian Morier’s Hajji Baba novels were among the most influential and entertaining satirical works of the 19th century, drawing on Morier’s firsthand diplomatic experience in Persia. The character of Hajji Baba became famous for his sharp wit, cultural observations, and comic misadventures between East and West.
 
This Bentley’s Standard Novels edition reflects the Victorian appetite for accessible literary classics in handsome yet affordable bindings and is particularly prized for its scholarly notes and engaging engraved frontispiece.
 
Collectability
While not rare, complete and well-preserved Bentley editions remain desirable for collectors of:
• Victorian travel and satire
• Orientalist literature
• Decorative 19th-century cloth bindings
 
This copy is especially appealing for its gilt-decorated spine, intact structure, and complete contents.