1856 – The Poetical Works of Sir Walter Scott
Antiquarian ILLUSTRATED Full Leather Bound Book / All Edge Gilt / Engravings / Memoir
This is a beautiful and richly illustrated 1856 edition of The Poetical Works of Sir Walter Scott, published by Adam and Charles Black, Edinburgh. It features a deluxe full red leather binding, ornate gilt decoration, gauffering to the all-edge gilt pages, and numerous engraved illustrations by renowned 19th-century artists including Henry Le Keux, W. Miller, Robert Brandard, and John Pye.
It includes a frontispiece engraving, an illustrated title page, and a memoir of the author, along with an internal ribbon marker. The decorative gilt detailing continues onto yellow endpapers and pastedowns, which are bordered by gilt turn-ins.
The poems featured are among Scott’s most iconic and influential works:
The Lay Of The Last Minstrel
Marmion
The Lady Of The Lake
The Vision Of Don Roderick
Rokeby
The Lord Of The Isles
Lyrical Pieces
Miscellaneous Poems and Ballads
Printed by Stevenson & Co., Thistle Street, Edinburgh.
About the Author
Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832) was one of Scotland’s greatest literary figures, a poet, playwright, historian, and the founding father of the historical novel. He first rose to fame as a poet, particularly with The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805) and Marmion (1808), both of which are included in this volume. His verse is known for its romantic themes, richly descriptive imagery, and powerful evocations of Scottish legend, landscape, and identity.
Features
Published: 1856
Publisher: Adam & Charles Black, North Bridge, Edinburgh
Binding: Deluxe full red leather over boards
Spine: Panelled, tooled and gilt-decorated with gilt lettering
Pages: 746pp. + Notes
Illustrations: Numerous engravings throughout, including plates
Special Features: Frontispiece engraving, illustrated title, yellow decorative pastedowns, gauffered gilt page edges, ribbon marker
Dimensions: 17.2 cm x 11.2 cm x 4.4 cm
Weight: Approx. 621 grams
Condition
This volume is in very good condition for its age (169 years). The binding is robust and intact, with only mild wear including:
Small rip at the base of the spine's long edge
Bumping to corners
Rubbing and small marks on the leather
The front free endpaper (likely originally blank) is missing
Inside:
Some foxing to preliminary pages
Bright pages overall, mostly uncreased and clean
Occasional very light mark or foxing
No rips to pages
No pen or pencil written inside this book
Tight binding with a minor crack in the gutter near the front pastedown only
Please examine the provided photographs carefully, as they form an important part of this description.
This sumptuously bound and visually striking edition is a treasured piece of literary and artistic history, offering a tangible connection to one of the most important writers of the Romantic era.