Parables of Our Lord.
by HUMPHREYS, Henry Noel
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans,, 1846. Exquisite neo-gothic book design First edition, in a superbly preserved example of the publisher's relievo binding, and illustrated with unique medievalist chromolithograph borders throughout. This "was one of the first of the so-called 'papier maché' bindings, contrived to look like carved ebony... They were cast in a black plaster composition, over papier maché, often reinforced with metal. The result was splendidly gothic and impressive" (McLean, p. 99). The colophon states, "it has been the aim of the designer to render the ornamental borderings of each page appropriate to the text, and to avoid all mere arbitrary or idle ornaments; and he has thought it more suitable that the garments of gold and many colours in which he has arrayed them, should at all events be new,... strictly original, fresh, and full of the purpose alone to which they are devoted". Humphreys (1810-1879) was a naturalist and "a very original designer in all the fields of art that he tackled, especially in that of illustration. A master of chromolithography, he produced the finest illuminated gift-books of the Victorian age under the inspiration of Italian and Flemish illumination of the Middle Ages" (Houfe, p. 349). This copy formerly belonged to Rector John Dixon Wortley (1879-1950), of Swannington, Norfolk; his ownership inscription is on the front free endpaper verso. Wortley published a number of works on local history and naturalism, including Sylvan Scenery: The Charm and Beauty of Our Trees and Woodlands (1932). Octavo. Original relievo binding of black calf elaborately embossed in the Gothic style, depicting architectural frames, floral motifs, symbols of the Evangelists, and central image of the Parable of the Sower, inner dentelles gilt, marbled endpapers, edges gilt. Housed in a grey cloth folding box. Chromolithograph title page heightened in gilt, 31 chromolithograph leaves with text and borders in the medieval style, 2 pp. of letterpress at end. Tiny chip to upper edge of front cover, superficial crack to rear cover, embossment remaining notably sharp, inner hinges reinforced, occasional spots, foxing to terminal letterpress leaf and blank. A near-fine copy. Simon Houfe, The Dictionary of British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists, 1800-1914, 1981; Ruari McLean, Victorian Book Design and Colour Printing, 1972.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Peter Harrington (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 173091
- Title
- Parables of Our Lord.
- Author
- HUMPHREYS, Henry Noel
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Place of Publication
- London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans,
- Date Published
- 1846
Terms of Sale
Peter Harrington
All major credit cards are accepted. Both UK pounds and US dollars (exchange rate to be agreed) accepted. Books may be returned within 14 days of receipt for any reason, please notify first of returned goods.
About the Seller
Peter Harrington
Biblio member since 2006
London
About Peter Harrington
Since its establishment, Peter Harrington has specialised in sourcing, selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. Peter Harrington first began selling rare books from the Chelsea Antiques Market on London's King's Road. For the past twenty years the business has been run by Pom Harrington, Peter's son.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Leaves
- Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages." A leaf is a single sheet...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Colophon
- The colophon contains information about a book's publisher, the typesetting, printer, and possibly even includes a printer's...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...