Anne of Geierstein & Count Robert of Paris by Walter Scott c.1880s Leather Book
 
Anne of Geierstein & Count Robert of Paris
By Sir Walter Scott
Edited by Rev. P. Hately Waddell
Published by W. P. Nimmo, Hay & Mitchell, Edinburgh – c.1880s (likely pre-1891)
 
Bibliographic Details
 
Full Title: Anne of Geierstein (or The Maiden of the Mist) & Count Robert of Paris
Author: Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832)
Editor: Rev. P. Hately Waddell (Peter Hately Waddell, 1817–1891)
Publisher: W. P. Nimmo, Hay & Mitchell, Edinburgh
Printer: Morrison & Gibb Ltd., Edinburgh
Date: Undated. Based on the publisher’s imprint (active 1883–1916) and the editor’s death in 1891, this edition is confidently dated to circa 1883–1891, placing it in the late Victorian period.
Format: Half-leather binding with gilt decorations and marbled boards.
Illustrations: Two black and white frontispieces, each with protective tissue guards, and two illustrated title pages.
Pagination: Anne of Geierstein – 394 pages; Count Robert of Paris – 332 pages. All pages present.
Printer’s Details: Printed by Morrison & Gibb Ltd., Edinburgh.
Language: English.
Dimensions: 19 × 13 × 3.9 cm.
Weight: 717 g.
 
Physical Description
 
A beautifully bound late-Victorian half-leather edition, combining two of Sir Walter Scott’s celebrated Waverley novels in one volume. The spine features gilt titles and gilt panel decorations over black background panels, with gilt-ruled lines. The boards are covered in marbled paper with matching marbled page edges and endpapers — all richly coloured and retaining a fine lustre.
 
Condition Report
 
Exterior:
The cover is intact, robust, and handsome, with light rubbing to the leather and board edges, small scuffs and minor scratches, and slight fading to areas of the spine. A few tiny holes appear along the top inner edge of the front board, consistent with age. Corners and edges show gentle rubbing, but the binding remains secure and well preserved. No dust jacket issued.
 
Interior:
The pages are lightly and evenly tanned throughout, typical of Victorian paper. There is minor foxing on some preliminary pages, but the text remains clear and legible throughout. A small sticker from A. Brown & Sons, 26–29 Savile Street, Hull is affixed to the front pastedown. There are a few small edge tears that do not affect the text, and light cracks in the inner gutters, and a large crack in the gutter (most between the back pastedown and free endpaper. However, all gatherings all pages remain securely bound. No pen inscriptions or pencil marks are present.
 
Plates:

Both black and white frontispieces are present with protective tissue guards. The plates remain crisp and clean with minimal age toning.
Overall, this is a good and complete example of a handsome late-Victorian edition, with minor wear and binding imperfections expected for age.
 
Notable Features
 
Late-Victorian half-leather binding with gilt-tooled spine.
Marbled boards, edges, pastedowns, and endpapers.
Two novels bound together: Anne of Geierstein and Count Robert of Paris.
Illustrated with engraved frontispieces and title pages.
All pages complete, all edges marbled.
A handsome and collectible volume from the classic Waverley Novels series.
 
Historical & Literary Context
 
Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley Novels revolutionised nineteenth-century fiction by blending historical authenticity with romance, folklore, and adventure.
Anne of Geierstein; or, The Maiden of the Mist (1829) is set in 15th-century Switzerland during the Burgundian Wars, exploring themes of chivalry, loyalty, and mystery in the Alpine landscape.
 
Count Robert of Paris (1832) is a historical romance set in Byzantium during the First Crusade. It follows the adventures of a Norman knight navigating courtly intrigue and imperial politics in Constantinople.
 
The editor, Rev. P. Hately Waddell (1817–1891), was a noted Scottish scholar and theologian who produced annotated and accessible editions of Scott’s works. His involvement situates this printing firmly within the late 19th century, likely pre-dating 1891.
 
Author Biography
 
Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832) was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and advocate, widely regarded as the father of the historical novel. His works, including Ivanhoe, Waverley, and Rob Roy, shaped Romantic literature and influenced generations of writers.