c. 1891 Percy Bysshe Shelley Poetical Works

An 1891 Macmillan edition of The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, edited by literary scholar Edward Dowden. This substantial single-volume edition runs to 708 pages and gathers Shelley’s major poetry, including Queen Mab, The Revolt of Islam, Epipsychidion, translations, fragments, and other works. 

The volume opens with an engraved portrait frontispiece of Shelley and is bound in smooth warm brown leather with raised spine bands, gilt floral devices, a contrasting title label, and fine gilt rules framing the boards. Compared with some of the more ornate prize bindings in this group, this one is quieter and more restrained, with the softened leather and darkened spine label giving it a particularly good old-library feel.

Origin: c. 1891; London, England
Publisher: Macmillan and Co.
Material: Leather binding with gilt tooling and printed paper pages
Condition: Good antique condition with age-related rubbing, scuffing, and small marks to the leather, including visible surface wear to the front board and spine. Light toning and scattered spotting are present to the interior pages. The gilt tooling and lettering remain clear, and the binding retains a pleasing, naturally aged finish.