Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Lord Byron — 1853 Illustrated Edition

£160.00

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Lord Byron — 1853 Illustrated Edition

Name: Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Lord Byron — 1853 Illustrated Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4451
Price: 160.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, John Murray, 1853

Formatting: Crown 8vo, pp. xvi, 311. With a frontispiece and 31 engraved plates.

Condition Report: Very Good. The volume is tightly bound in a striking full dark green morocco, presenting beautifully despite some rubbing to the extremities, most notably at the spine tips, joints, and board corners. The elaborate gilt tooling remains remarkably bright and unoxidised across the six spine compartments and both boards, retaining excellent visual impact. Internally, the pages and engraved plates exhibit mild, intermittent foxing and toning typical of the period, though the text block remains crisp overall. The all-edges-gilt (a.e.g.) finish is well-preserved and highly reflective. There is a partial armorial bookplate to the front pastedown and a discreet, early ownership signature to the upper corner of a preliminary blank.

Catalogue Note: This attractive mid-nineteenth-century printing of Byron's celebrated narrative poem features thirty-two exquisite steel-engraved plates by William Finden, working after drawings by various prominent artists of the era. Finden's sensitive and highly detailed engravings brought Byron's European travels vividly to life for a wider contemporary audience.

The volume is elegantly bound in full morocco, a testament to the high regard in which Byron's enduring work was held long after its initial publication. The binding features a handsome gilt-ruled border with distinctive fleur-de-lis cornerpieces. It bears an interesting provenance, featuring the partially retained armorial bookplate of P. G. Francis on the front pastedown. While not exceedingly scarce on the open market, copies retaining such bright, elaborate gilt tooling and their full complement of Finden plates remain highly desirable to collectors of Romantic poetry and fine Victorian bindings.

First published between 1812 and 1818, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage catapulted Lord Byron to unprecedented literary fame, immortalising the concept of the brooding "Byronic hero." The epic Romaunt follows the travels and melancholic reflections of a world-weary young nobleman fleeing the disillusionment of his privileged life in England. As he traverses the war-torn and classically rich landscapes of Portugal, Spain, Greece, and Italy, Harold's personal exile becomes a profound meditation on the beauty of nature, the decay of empires, and the fleeting nature of human glory.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Lord Byron

Book Publisher: John Murray

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Poetry

Book edition:

Signed: No

Book Pages: 311

Book Publication Year: 1853

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover (Full Morocco Leather)

Illustrator: William Finden

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.