Irish Songs and Poems by William Allingham – First Edition (1887) – Hardback with Music Scores
 
Author

William Allingham (1824–1889) was a renowned Irish poet, born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal. He served as a customs officer and later as sub-editor of Fraser's Magazine. Known for his lyrical poems and love of Irish folklore, Allingham was part of the Victorian literary circle, closely associated with Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Alfred Tennyson, and Thomas Carlyle. His most famous poem is The Faeries, and his Diaries offer a vivid account of 19th-century literary life.
 
Title
 
Irish Songs and Poems: with Nine Airs Harmonised for Voice and Pianoforte
 
Edition
 
First edition, published 1887 by Reeves and Turner, 196 Strand, London.
 
Binding Condition
 
Original green cloth boards with gilt titles to the spine and blind‑embossed emblem on the front board
Slight edgewear, with minor fraying to the spine ends
A few very small cloth tears at the head and foot of the spine
Boards remain firm with tight hinges
Overall, a sound and solid binding for a book of this age
 
Interior Condition
 
All 164 pages present except pages 161–162, which are missing, and form part of the notes section only, not the main text (please refer to the photographs)
Pages are tanned, with some small edge rips, likely due to rough original cutting (possibly with a pen knife)
Tear on page 67 and overleaf runs through the text, but all words remain legible
A few very small marks and occasional light blemishes, not affecting legibility
No writing, pen, or pencil marks inside
Pages are neatly preserved, uncreased, and well-aligned
Includes nine musical scores, with both text and music clearly printed
Decorative marble patterned endpapers and pastedowns. Small rip on the front pastedown edge
A light crack is present in the gutter between a couple of pages and between the front pastedown and free endpaper, but all leaves are secure.
 
Features
 
Harmonised airs for voice and pianoforte
Includes both poems and sheet music
Original typeface, layout, and musical notation typical of late 19th-century editions
 
Measurements
 
Approx. 18 × 11.6 × 1.9 cm, ~251 g
 
Provenance
 
This edition is increasingly uncommon, particularly with the original binding and music scores intact. This has a cross-appeal to collectors of Irish literature and early music editions.