The Last Of The Barons Lord Lytton c1902 Illustrated Emerald Library
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
 
The Last of the Barons
By The Right Honourable Lord Lytton (Edward Bulwer-Lytton)
Published by Walter Scott, Ltd., Paternoster Square, London
Part of the publisher's celebrated Emerald Library series.
Illustrated with a monochrome frontispiece signed by the artist. Although the signature appears to read "Stuart", the illustrator has not been conclusively identified and has therefore not been attributed.
No publication date is printed. The publisher's catalogue indicates that this edition was issued after 17 December 1896, while the printer's code ("1-02") suggests a printing date of approximately January 1902. A contemporary pencil ownership inscription dated "28.3.07", almost certainly indicating 28 March 1907, confirms that the volume was in circulation by that time.
This is an early twentieth-century Emerald Library reprint and not a first edition.
 
Historical & Bibliographic Context
 
Originally published in 1843, The Last of the Barons is widely regarded as one of Lord Lytton's finest historical novels. Set during the turbulent Wars of the Roses, it centres upon the powerful Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, remembered as the "Kingmaker", whose political influence shaped fifteenth-century England.
Blending meticulous historical research with vivid storytelling, the novel explores themes of loyalty, ambition, political intrigue and the decline of feudal power. It became one of the great Victorian historical romances and helped sustain public interest in medieval English history throughout the nineteenth century.
Walter Scott Ltd.'s Emerald Library sought to make enduring classics available in attractive yet affordable editions. Their handsome bindings and quality production have made surviving copies increasingly desirable to collectors today.
 
About the Author
 
Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803–1873), writing as Lord Lytton, was one of the most successful Victorian novelists. Celebrated for his historical fiction, gothic novels and political writings, he remains an important figure in nineteenth-century English literature.
 
About the Illustration
 
This edition includes a finely executed monochrome frontispiece depicting a scene from the novel.
The artwork is signed by the artist; however, despite examination of the signature, the illustrator has not been conclusively identified, and no unsupported attribution has been made.
 
Binding & Exterior Description
 
An attractive publisher's half-binding of dark green ribbed cloth over the spine with complementary light green cloth-covered boards.
The spine and boards retain their original gilt borders and gilt lettering, while the text block features an attractive gilt top edge, adding greatly to the book's shelf appeal.
The binding remains intact and structurally robust. Honest age-related wear includes gentle bumping and light rubbing to the corners, patches of rubbing along the edges, slight crinkling where the two cloth colours meet, extremely small nicks at the head and tail of the spine, two tiny pinprick-sized holes to the spine, several very light scratches and a few small marks.
Overall, this remains an attractive Edwardian publisher's binding.
 
Interior Condition
 
The pages are very lightly toned with age.
There is light foxing to the pastedowns and endpapers, while the text pages remain generally clean with only occasional light foxing and a few very small marks that do not affect readability.
The title page shows slight rubbing and tiny tears to the inner margin, which are minimal and do not affect the printed text.
Only a handful of pages have very small edge tears.
A contemporary pencil ownership inscription dated 28.03.07 appears on the title page.
The binding remains secure throughout with only a light gutter crack adjacent to page one.
All pages are present and have been carefully checked, including the publisher's catalogue.
 
Physical Details
 
Pagination
xiii pages 
Preface 
461 pages 
Publisher's catalogue 
Complete.
Dimensions: Approximately 19.1 × 13.3 × 3.3 cm
Weight: Approximately 576 g
 
Rarity & Collector Notes
 
Rarity Assessment: Uncommon
Although The Last of the Barons has remained continuously in print since the Victorian period, this attractive Emerald Library edition is encountered less frequently than later twentieth-century reprints.
Collectors particularly value examples retaining:
original decorative publisher's binding 
gilt top edge 
Emerald Library issue 
frontispiece 
complete publisher's catalogue 
This edition is desirable to collectors of Victorian historical fiction, Edwardian publisher's bindings and Lord Lytton.