1852 RARE 1st Edition – Castle Avon – Anne Marsh-Caldwell – Antiquarian Hardback – Volume III only
 
This is Volume III of the scarce three-volume first edition of Castle Avon by Anne Marsh-Caldwell (author of Emilia Wyndham and Ravenscliffe), published in 1852. This copy is exceptionally rare as part of Westerton’s English & Foreign Library, with its original pictorial paper-covered board showing the Hyde Park Corner premises at 20 St. George’s Place. The library was founded to provide books “within the reach of all classes of readers” via low subscription fees, and copies in this special livery seldom appear for sale.
 
Publication Details
 
First Edition, 1852
Part of Westerton’s English & Foreign Library series
Published by Colburn and Co., Great Marlborough Street, London
Printed by Schulze & Co., 13 Poland Street, London
 
Binding
 
Quarter-bound in leather with cloth corners and paper-covered boards. The front board features the striking Westerton’s illustration in teal and cream; the rear board is in marbled paper. Gilt lettering remains visible on the spine. This original circulating library binding is an important piece of mid-Victorian book trade history.
 
Condition

The cover remains intact, with expected overall wear from over 170 years of age. Corners are bumped, there is a small pen mark to the front, loss of leather at the spine ends, and a split to the leather along the spine edge. The spine is at a lean. Please inspect photos for condition reference.
Inside, the pages have uneven edges from original production – typical of the period, with occasional small edge rips and minor corner loss. The text block is lightly tanned, with light foxing and scattered marks, none obscuring the text. Occasional light creases.
Pen on the front pastedown and front free endpaper, and a pen inscription on the title page (reading most plausibly as “M Corscadden”, dated May 15, ’76)
Small pen correction on p.254
Binding is generally tight, with only a light internal crack between pp. 64–65; all pages are firmly held.
 
Pagination

All 294 pages – complete for Volume III.
 
Dimensions & Weight

Approx. 20 × 12.8 × 2.4 cm; ~359g.
 
Author Note

Anne Marsh-Caldwell (1791–1874) was a leading English novelist of the mid-19th century, admired for her moral and domestic fiction. A friend of Josiah Wedgwood and an acquaintance of Charles Darwin, her works were always published anonymously at her husband’s request.