BALLADS by Robert Louis Stevenson – 1890 First Edition – Antiquarian Hardback Book
 
Publisher: Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, London
Printer: R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh
Binding: Publisher’s original dark blue cloth, beveled edges, gilt spine title, gilt top edge
Pages: 137
Weight: Approx. 439g
Size: Approx. 19.7 cm x 13.7 cm x 1.8 cm
 
This is a rare and beautiful first edition copy of Ballads by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1890. Stevenson, famed for classics like Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, also made significant contributions to poetry and storytelling through this lyrical collection of ballads.
 
These poems showcase Stevenson’s deep engagement with themes of romance, adventure, and the supernatural, drawn from traditional Scottish and English influence
 
Provenance and Condition:
 
Bound in original publisher’s cloth with bevelled edges and gilt spine lettering
Top edge gilt, a sign of a higher-end binding of the time
No dust jacket
Boards and spine are robust, with light wear, small marks, and corner bumping
Front free endpaper has a pen inscription, no other writing inside
Light tanning to pages, darker on endpapers, together with light foxing
Very small hole on inner edge of contents and following page, not affecting text
Just a few small edge rips, none impacting readability
Pages roughly cut, typical of 19th-century production
All pages present and securely bound
Very minor binding cracks, but overall sound
All 137 pages present
​​​​​​​Please view photos carefully to assess condition — they form part of this description.
 
Interesting Note on the Author:
 
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, and poet. While his fiction is globally recognised, Ballads highlights his lyrical style. Stevenson was also a master of blending folklore with the gothic, and this collection reflects his fascination with the mysterious and mythical.