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The Facetious Nights of Straparola & The Pecorone 1898 Society Bibliophiles 7v
(Alternate shorter title: "1898 Straparola Facetious Nights + Pecorone 7-Vol Set Society of Bibliophiles")
Item Description
The Facetious Nights of Straparola (4 volumes) and The Pecorone of Ser Giovanni (3 volumes) — a matched 7-volume set, uniformly bound, published in London and privately printed for members of The Society of Bibliophiles, dated MDCCCXCVIII (1898).
Both works were "now first translated into English" by W. G. Waters, and choicely illustrated — The Facetious Nights by Jules Garnier and E. R. Hughes, A.R.W.S., and The Pecorone by E. R. Hughes, A.R.W.S., London. Each volume contains tipped-in plate illustrations protected by tissue guards, with ornamental chapter-heading titles printed in orange/red ink.
Set Contents
The Facetious Nights of Straparola — Volumes I–IV (complete), bound in dark green cloth
The Pecorone of Ser Giovanni — Volumes I–III (complete), bound in grey/oatmeal cloth
All seven spines share the same elegant gilt design: a Venetian column topped by the winged Lion of St. Mark, with gilt floral ornamentation at the head and foot of each spine, and "THE SOCIETY OF BIBLIOPHILES" stamped in gilt near the base.
Publication Details
Publisher: London, privately printed for members of The Society of Bibliophiles
Date: MDCCCXCVIII (1898)
Limited private printing (as issued to Society members)
Illustrated with plates by Jules Garnier and E. R. Hughes, A.R.W.S.
Condition
These are antique volumes over 125 years old and show consistent age-appropriate wear:
Cloth bindings are sound and square; text blocks are tight and complete
Gilt spine decoration remains bright and legible on all seven spines
Some wear/fraying to head and tail of spines (see photos)
Deckle-edged (untrimmed) pages, as issued
Tissue guards present over plate illustrations
Light foxing/toning consistent with age; no writing or markings noted on title pages examined
Please review all photos carefully, as they form part of the description — this is an antique set sold as-is
Why This Set?
A handsome, uniformly bound library set of two classic Italian Renaissance novella collections, handsomely produced for a private bibliophile society at the turn of the 20th century. A lovely display set for collectors of fine press editions, Italian literature, or Renaissance-era storytelling (in the tradition of Boccaccio's Decameron
