IRELAND: ITS SCENERY, CHARACTER, &c. (COMPLETE IN TEN VOLUMES)
London, England: Hall, Virtue, and Co., [c. 1850]. "A New Edition" Hardcover. Matching set of ten volumes. Paginated as a three volume set: Volume I: pp. vii, 435; Volume II: pp. 468; Volume III: pp. 512, [ix]-xii (list of illustrations, Volume I), [v]-viii (list of illustrations, Volume 2), [v]-viii (list of illustrations, Volume 3), but published as ten equally thick volumes. The original Volume 2 begins in the fourth volume, and the original Volume 3 begins in the seventh volume. Appropriate plates and maps for each volumes' pages are bound before each volumes' text.
There is a decorative title page in Volume 1 (published by "George Virtue"). However, there are three printed title pages, one for each volume of "The New Edition" published by Hall, Virtue & Co., bound and unpaginated at the end of Volume 10.
Quarto, 10.3 in. x 7 in. Illustrated with 97 full page steel-engraved plates, 18 hand-colored (plus one black and white) maps of Ireland's counties, and many in-text drawings. Red cloth boards with frame stamped in blind and gilt title surrounded by a gilt wreath to fronts, with same design stamped in blind to backs. Gilt title and floral design to spines. Volumes 1, 4, 6, 7, and 10 rebacked with original spines laid down. Light rubbing and soiling to boards. Light spotting, particularly to endpapers and plates. Small chips and wear to spine ends of non-rebacked volumes. Volume 1 has tidelines to corners of title page and opening plates.
Books are housed in two recently constructed burgundy cloth slipcases with designer paper on the interior; each case fits five volumes. Very Good / Near Fine (slipcases). Item #88604
Anna Maria Hall (1800 – 1881) was an Irish novelist who often published as "Mrs. S. C. Hall". She was born Anna Maria Fielding in Dublin, but left Ireland for England at the age of 15. Mrs Hall's first recorded contribution to literature is an Irish sketch called "Master Ben", which appeared in The Spirit and Manners of the Age, January 1829. Other tales followed. Eventually they were collected into a volume entitled Sketches of Irish Character, 1829, and henceforth she became an author by profession.... Hall's sketches of her native land contain fine rural descriptions, and are animated by a healthy tone of moral feeling and a vein of delicate humour. Her books were never popular in Ireland, as she saw in each party much to praise and much to blame, so that she failed to please either the Orangemen or the Roman Catholics." (from Wikipedia).
Price: $425.00