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PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY
THE POETICAL WORKS
Edited by Thomas Hutchinson
Oxford Edition
London: Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press, 1905
Decorative Full Green Morocco Leather Binding
Floral Gilt Tooling • Raised Bands • Gilt Turn-ins • All Edges Gilt
A handsome Oxford edition of Shelley’s collected poetry in full dark green morocco leather, distinguished by an elegant gilt floral design in the Arts & Crafts style.
The upper cover centres on a symmetrical ornament of radiating leaves and small flowers, framed by gilt rules and sweeping botanical cornerpieces. Generous areas of undecorated leather give the design a pleasing balance, setting off the bright tooling against the richly coloured morocco.
THE BINDING
Full dark green morocco leather. Upper cover with a central gilt floral ornament and foliate corner decoration within a ruled border; lower cover more simply framed with gilt rules.
Spine with five raised bands, gilt “SHELLEY” lettering and repeated wreath-like foliate ornaments in the remaining compartments. Gilt-decorated leather turn-ins, green endleaves and all edges gilt.
The recurring botanical ornament links the upper cover, spine and turn-ins into a coordinated decorative scheme. The binding is unsigned; no attribution to a particular binder is made.
THE BOOK
SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe. The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Edited by Thomas Hutchinson, M.A.
London: Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press, 1905. Oxford Edition.
With a photogravure portrait frontispiece after George Clint.
An early printing of Hutchinson’s Oxford edition, presenting Shelley’s poetry in a substantial single volume with editorial apparatus. The decorative morocco binding gives this copy particular appeal for collectors of Romantic poetry and early twentieth-century bookbinding.
CONDITION
Good overall, with an attractive decorative binding showing wear.
The volume has a noticeable lean when standing. Binding remains secure. Moderate rubbing and shelf wear to the leather, especially at the spine ends, corners and joints, with small losses at the foot of the spine.
The gilt decoration remains bright and well defined. Green endleaves and gilt turn-ins are well preserved.
Moderate foxing to the portrait frontispiece and neighbouring leaves. The remainder of the text is generally clean, with light toning and scattered minor spotting.
