ENOCH ARDEN
London: Edward Moxon & Co., 1866. Hardcover. First Illustrated Edition. The classic narrative poem about a fisherman who is shipwrecked for years, returns home to find his wife remarried, and chooses to remain silent to preserve her happiness. Octavo: [iv], 81, [3], 16 [ads] pp. with the portrait frontispiece, a steel engraving with tissue guard after Thomas Woolner, and 25 textual vignettes, all wood engravings by T. Bolton after Arthur Hughes. In the publisher's brown honeycomb-grain cloth binding, with beveled boards; gilt-stamped rope and chain borders with shell corners, enclosing field of fishnet and fish, with anchor and bell devices, and titling on the front panel; gilt-stamped rope borders and surrounds, floral and shell ornaments, and floral decorated rope with titling running along the spine; and gilt-stamped branch and wheat borders, enclosing field of netting and butterflies, with windmill and bell devices on the rear panel. All edges gilt, with light cream coated endpapers. Period previous owner's ink signature and a tiny bookseller's stamp (Hale & Roworth: Manchester) to the front flyleaf. Just a hint of edgewear to the boards. Near fine. Provenance: from the Publishers' Bookbindings collection of Ellen K. Morris and Edward S. Levin. Near fine. Item #80090
Price: $400.00