A truly unparalleled custom-bound gathering of 19 volumes by George MacDonald. The group would have been assembled by a late 19th, early 20th century devotee of MacDonald's writings. Once gathered, the 19 early American imprints would have been delivered to Washington D. C.'s premier binder, Henry Blackwell. Each volume was then skillfully bound in matching half morocco bindings with delicate Arts & Crafts tooling evocative of the school of binding and design then in vogue in Scotland.
The set represents a labor of love and , indeed, a significant financial expenditure invested in crafting a suitable and appropriate presentation for works apparently of deep personal value to the original owner. I have never seen an assemblage like it, nor do I expect to.
One could of course assemble and have bound a similar assemblage today, which would cost more than double and would lack the time-earned patination, the mellow darkening of the spines, etc., those cannot be replicated.
The assemblage includes:
MacDonald, George. Phantastes. A Faerie Romance for Men and Women. New York. George Routledge & Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Mary Marston. A Novel. Philadelphia. David McKay. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Thomas Wingfold, Curate. Illustrated. New York. George Routledge & Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. The Marquis of Lossie. New York. George Routledge & Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Adela Cathcart. New York. George Routledge and Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Sir Gibbie. Philadelphia. David McKay. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Stephen Archer and Other Tales. Philadelphia. David McKay. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Alec Forbes of Howglen. New York. George Routledge and Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Home Again. New York. George Routledge and Sons. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. The Vicar's Daughter. An Autobiographical Story. New York. George Routledge & Sons. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood. New York. George Routledge & Sons. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Guild Court. A London Story. New York. George Routledge and Sons, Limited. Nd. 1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Wilfrid Cumbermede. An Autobiographical Story. Illustrated. New York. George Routledge & Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Malcolm. New York. George Routledge & Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. David Elginbrod. New York. George Routledge & Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Paul Faber. Surgeon. New York. George Routledge & Sons, Limited. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. The Seaboard Parish. Illustrated. Philadelphia. David McKay. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. Robert Falconer. Philadelphia. David McKay. Nd. c.1890-1905.
With
MacDonald, George. St. George and St. Michael. A Novel. With Illustrations. Philadelphia. David McKay. Nd. c.1890-1905.
A good + to very good set in bespoke arts and crafts bindings by Henry Blackwell. Half crushed blue morocco with marbled boards and matching marbled endpapers. Spines somewhat darkened, as usual. Some general rubbing, a few of the volumes with breaches through the morocco corners and a few light abrasions to spines as shown. Some scattered foxing somewhat uneven through the volumes. We are happy to have the corners professionally consolidate upon request.
