c. 1893 William Wordsworth Complete Poetical Works

A late 19th-century edition of The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, published by Macmillan and Co. in London and New York in 1893, with an introduction by British writer and statesman John Morley. This substantial single-volume collection brings together Wordsworth’s poetry in one edition and is accompanied by an engraved portrait frontispiece.

Beautifully bound in warm brown leather with raised spine bands, gilt lettering, and elaborate gilt tooling, the volume has the rich decorative presence of a classic English library book. The front board is finished with fine gilt rules and a central gilt crest or prize emblem, giving it an especially handsome old-world character. A beautiful shelf piece on its own, or layered into a collection of antique books, portraits, silver, and darker woods.

Origin: c. 1893; London, England
Publisher: Macmillan and Co.
Material: Leather binding with gilt tooling; printed paper pages
Condition: Good antique condition with age-related rubbing and wear to the leather, including light scuffing at the edges, spine, and corners. Some wear is visible at the head of the spine. Interior pages show light toning and occasional foxing consistent with age. The gilt decoration remains strong and the volume presents beautifully.