Anne of Geierstein by Walter Scott c1887 Rosslyn Edition White And Allen
 
ANNE OF GEIERSTEIN by Sir Walter Scott – Rosslyn Edition (c1887–1890)
Antiquarian Leather and Paper Bound Volume
Published by White And Allen, New York
 
Overview
 
This is a highly desirable Rosslyn Edition of Anne of Geierstein, produced between 1887 and 1890 by White and Allen. Elegantly quarter bound in leather with mottled paper boards, gilt spine lettering, and patterned endpapers, this volume is part of the collectible Waverley Novels series. Complete, clean for age, and containing numerous partially unopened pages, it retains the charm of a book that has seen very little use.
 
Bibliographic Details
 
Title: Anne of Geierstein
Author: Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832)
Series: The Waverley Novels – The Rosslyn Edition
Publisher: White And Allen, New York
Printers: Neill And Company, Printers, Edinburgh
Date: c1887–1890 (based on publisher’s operating dates)
Format: Quarter leather binding with mottled paper boards
Pages: 468 pp
Top Edge: Gilt
Endpapers: Patterned pastedowns and endpapers
Size: approx. 17.2 × 11.3 × 2.2 cm
Weight: approx. 306g
 
Dating Notes
 
White and Allen published under this name only between 1887 and 1890, allowing a secure dating range for this edition. The materials, binding structure, paper stock, and typography are fully consistent with that period.
 
Exterior Condition
 
The binding is exceptionally attractive, featuring leather to the spine and the inner board edges, with a richly mottled yellow-and-brown paper over the boards (as shown in the photographs). The spine retains its panelled structure with gilt lettering, though the leather has softened and darkened with age.
Additional exterior notes:
Light wear to edges of leather and paper, typical for 130+ years
Fading and small marks/scratches to the spine
Light patches of fading to the boards
Structurally sound, clean, and visually elegant
 
Interior Condition
 
Pages lightly tanned, as expected for the period
Mostly uncreased pages
Light, occasional foxing to pages and edges
Small area of rubbing at inner edge of front blank flyleaf
Rough-cut edges in places due to original production
Several partially unopened leaves at the fore edge, indicating the book was likely never fully read
All pages firmly bound with no loose or missing leaves
No writing, inscriptions, or annotations
All 468 pages present and secure
 
This is a notably neat example of the Rosslyn Edition.
 
About the Author
 
Sir Walter Scott was one of the most influential figures in nineteenth-century literature, celebrated for pioneering and popularising the historical novel. His works, including Waverley, Ivanhoe, and Rob Roy, remain important contributions to Romantic-era fiction.
 
Historical Note: The Rosslyn Edition
 
The Rosslyn Edition is admired for its mid-Victorian craftsmanship, decorative bindings, gilt details, and typographic elegance. Produced in the late nineteenth century, these editions were created for readers seeking both literary merit and aesthetic refinement. Their attractive bindings and durable construction make them highly collectible today.