Essays of Elia, Charles Lamb

£380.00

Essays of Elia, Charles Lamb

Name: Essays of Elia, Charles Lamb
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5866
Price: 380.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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£380.00

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Publication: London, Arthur L. Humphreys, 1911

Formatting: 12mo, pp. 301.

Condition Report: Near Fine. This handsome volume presents exceptionally well, maintaining excellent structural integrity with a binding that remains tight and square. The full morocco leather exhibits only small flaws, primarily slight rubbing to the edges and corners of the spine. The boards are otherwise remarkably clean, and the gilt tooling across the spine, alongside the text block's all-edges gilt, remains strikingly bright and unoxidised. Internally, the book is equally well-preserved; the hinges are robust, and the pages are notably crisp and clean, with no major marks or creases that detract from their overall condition, offering a beautifully fresh appearance throughout.

Catalogue Note: This finely printed edition of Charles Lamb's enduringly popular essays was originally issued as part of the esteemed Royal Library Belles Lettres Series. It has been exquisitely elevated by a secondary binding of full brown crushed morocco, executed by the celebrated Bayntun bindery of Bath, renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship. The spine is elegantly divided into six compartments by five raised bands, featuring handsome gilt titling in the second, fourth, and bottom compartments.

The volume is distinguished by an appealing piece of provenance: loosely inserted is the personal visiting card of Mr E. H. Gilpin (likely the prominent British industrialist and Liberal politician, later Sir Edmund Henry Gilpin) of 'Kendale', Godolphin Road, Weybridge. The card features a handwritten ink inscription conveying "all good wishes" and a printed affiliation to the Reform Club.

Fine press editions of Lamb are scarce on the open market, particularly when found in such an attractive, well-preserved custom binding by a premier English bindery.

First published in the London Magazine and later collected in 1823, Essays of Elia is a celebrated collection of personal, conversational essays by the English writer Charles Lamb. Writing under the pseudonym Elia, Lamb reflects on a diverse array of subjects, ranging from nostalgia for his youth and the eccentricities of his acquaintances to the simple pleasures of everyday life. Characterised by their warm humour, gentle pathos, and rich, allusive prose, the essays remain a cornerstone of 19th-century English literature and a masterpiece of the familiar essay form.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: Charles Lamb

Book Publisher: Arthur L. Humphreys

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Criticism & Essays

Book edition:

Signed: No

Book Pages: 301

Book Publication Year: 1911

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Leather

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: Royal Library

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.