“Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne” Two-Volume Set by John Ashton (1882)

A handsome late-19th-century two-volume set of Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne by historian John Ashton, published in London in 1882. Bound in rich brown leather with gilt-tooled spines and marbled boards, the volumes feature beautifully patterned endpapers, Victorian bookbinding, and period typography throughout. 

Ashton’s work draws from original sources to explore daily life, customs, and culture during the early 18th-century reign of Queen Anne, offering both historical insight and visual interest with numerous contemporary illustrations. An elegant addition to a library, study, or stacked vignette on a coffee table, the set pairs beautifully with other antique books and decorative objects.

With eighty-four illustrations by the author from contemporary prints.

Origin: London, England, 1882. Published by Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly.
Material: Leather bindings with gilt tooling and marbled boards; printed pages with tipped-in engraved illustration plates.
Condition: Wear consistent with age, including light rubbing to the leather and some wear to the marbled boards; interiors remain clean and well-preserved with bindings intact.