THE SCENERY AND ANTIQUITIES OF IRELAND. ILLUSTRATED IN ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ENGRAVINGS, FROM DRAWINGS BY W.H. BARTLETT, WITH HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE TEXT (COMPLETE IN FIVE VOLUMES)
London, England: James S. Virtue, c. 1840. Hardcover. Published as a 2-volume set, this copy divides the volumes into five equally wide matching books bound by the publisher, James S. Virtue, City Road, London. Illustrated with 110 tissue-guarded engravings (tMISSING ten plates) full page map of Ireland drawn and engraved by W. Hughes. Engravings are on heavy paper and are bound at front of each volume, folowed by the text.
Quarto, 11 in. x 8.6 in. Green cloth boards with elaborate frame and shamrock wreath stamped in blind to fronts and backs. Gilt saint-and-harp emblem with Irish greeting ("cead mille phailte") to fronts. Gilt title and floral design to spines. Publisher's gilt edges. Rubbing to extremities with corners nudged. Sunning to Volumes 1, 3, 4, 5. Volume 2, which is not sunned, is darker green than other four volumes.
Title pages, tables of content, and list of illustrations for traditional 2-Volume publication are found at end of Volume 5. Map found in Volume 5. Previous owner's tidily handwritten name, dated 1862, to front free endpapers. Bookbinder's sticker to rear pastedowns. Light, scattered spotting to plates and tissue-guards. Hinges partially detached in Volume 1. Rear hinges showing in Volumes 4 and 5.
Volume I: pp. [42] (21 engravings), 48, [2] (advertising).
Volume 2: pp. [48] (24 engravings), 49-96.
Volume 3: pp. [46] (23 engravings), 97-124, 1-20
Volume 4: pp. [44] (22 engravings), 21-68.
Volume 5: pp. [40] (20 engravings), 69-108, [8] (title pages, directions, lists of illustrations), [4] (advertising).
Five volumes are housed in newer dark green cloth slipcase with designer green paper in the interior. Very light shelfwear to slipcase. Good / Very Good Plus (slipcase). Item #88621
Price: $265.00