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Hard cover, 8vo (measuring 5 ¾ x 8 ¾ inches) in a lovely Arts and Crafts style fine re-binding of full, crushed green morocco, top edge gilt, with gilt decoration of ivy leaves, dots and gilt rule to both boards, the spine in six raised compartments with matching decoration and titles in gilt. The signed binding is stamped signed to the front turn-in.: "Bound by Worsfold." This is presumed to date from the early twentieth century, matching other documented examples. The original cloth binding has been bound in at the rear. An engraved armorial bookplate of collector Charles Waterman Armour appears on the front pastedown. Printed by Bradbury and Evans, London on heavy, laid watermarked Ingres paper. **CONDITION: Very Good Plus or better. Light darkening to spine, very light wear at head and tail of joints. Hinges in order. Light toning. Polish offset to endpapers. Otherwise, very tight and clean. **COLLATION: (lx), 361, (12). ** British -American poet, James Henry LEIGH HUNT (1784-1859) was best known for his promotion of the Romantic poets in his newspaper, The Examiner, founded in 1808, furthering the literary careers of Keats, Shelley, Tennyson, Charles Lamb, Browning, Dickens and others. As a journalist he was also an impassioned defender of the abolition of the slave trade, and supported parliamentary and criminal reform. Includes his most acclaimed poem, "The Story of Rimini," based on characters from Dante's Inferno. Francesca and her brother-in-law Paolo have a forbidden romance and are murdered by her husband in this evocative drama. Also included are some of the author's translations of poetry from the original Greek, French and Italian. **London BOOKBINDER, WILLIAM WORSFOLD ]came from a London bookbinding family, being at least a third generation participant. An article from the New York Times Saturday Review of Books mentions him (Jan. 9, 1904 p. 26) in the same breath as other really notable bookbinders of the day. [See our No. 8391 for another (smaller sized) edition of this work in a matching binding, seen in the final web photo. Available separately.] Watson Vol.3, no. 1217. PROVENANCE: Charles Waterman Armour.
Ref: FINE 8388
$600.00 $480.00