POE, EDGAR ALLAN The poetical works of Edgar Allan Poe with original memoir . London: Sampson Low, 1858. The first illustrated edition. Binding 8 5/8 x 6 inches (22 x 15 cm); full dark blue jeweled levant morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Upper cover with forty-nine jewels (turquoise, garnet, etc.), with an oval mosaic design composed of inlay work, depicting Poe's raven (with a jeweled eye) on a bust of Pallas, set against a pattern of brown and green oak leaves. The inset is surrounded by a Celtic knotwork border in green, with cornerpieces of small leaf tools and paired bells in inlay. The lower cover has nine jewels in a central medallion, grouped around a design of four bells connected by interlaced straps, set against a gilt seme. Around this is a complex design of leaves and berries, from which lead traceries of dotted and plain gilt lines, the whole framed by a Celtic knotwork border. The spine is in six compartments between raised bands, lettered in the second, the remaining five with a repeated design of interlaced straps framing leafy sprays. The front doublure bears a Cosway style miniature painting on ivory of Poe within an inset medallion, the border of which has twelve jewels, the whole surrounded by a turquoise morocco panel with a repeating design of gold and palladium stars, with a broad floral dentelle. The rear doublure has a lyre motif, surrounded by a border with fourteen jewels, and is otherwise similar in design to the front doublure. The binding is signed above the center of the lower dentelle on the read doublure "Bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe London," with the firm's small exhibition stamp. The free endsheets, both front and rear, are also of turquoise morocco, with a central monogram reading EAP, surrounded by a gilt knotwork design, and with a border of small gilt flowers and knotwork. All edges are gilt, elaborately gauffered with a floral design of small red flowers and green leaves. xxix; 247 pp.; illustrated by Birket Foster and others. The binding is in immaculate condition, housed in a somewhat worn solander case of padded green straight-grain morocco. A lavish example of a Sangorski & Sutcliffe jeweled binding, bearing a total of eighty-four jewels. These include twelve amethysts, ten Mexican fire opals, eight turquoises, one tourmaline, one ruby, eight moonstones, fourteen green chalcedonies, eighteen garnets, and four sapphires. The binding is of an uncommonly complex design, with much use of inlays (the Boyle catalogue states there are 664 in all), and dense double-struck gold tooling. The doublures are almost as elaborate as the covers themselves. This is a chef-d'oeuvre of the binder's art, exceptional even by the standards of Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Provenance: Phoebe A.D. Boyle; sold at Anderson Galleries, 1923
POE, EDGAR ALLAN The poetical works of Edgar Allan Poe with original memoir . London: Sampson Low, 1858. The first illustrated edition. Binding 8 5/8 x 6 inches (22 x 15 cm); full dark blue jeweled levant morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Upper cover with forty-nine jewels (turquoise, garnet, etc.), with an oval mosaic design composed of inlay work, depicting Poe's raven (with a jeweled eye) on a bust of Pallas, set against a pattern of brown and green oak leaves. The inset is surrounded by a Celtic knotwork border in green, with cornerpieces of small leaf tools and paired bells in inlay. The lower cover has nine jewels in a central medallion, grouped around a design of four bells connected by interlaced straps, set against a gilt seme. Around this is a complex design of leaves and berries, from which lead traceries of dotted and plain gilt lines, the whole framed by a Celtic knotwork border. The spine is in six compartments between raised bands, lettered in the second, the remaining five with a repeated design of interlaced straps framing leafy sprays. The front doublure bears a Cosway style miniature painting on ivory of Poe within an inset medallion, the border of which has twelve jewels, the whole surrounded by a turquoise morocco panel with a repeating design of gold and palladium stars, with a broad floral dentelle. The rear doublure has a lyre motif, surrounded by a border with fourteen jewels, and is otherwise similar in design to the front doublure. The binding is signed above the center of the lower dentelle on the read doublure "Bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe London," with the firm's small exhibition stamp. The free endsheets, both front and rear, are also of turquoise morocco, with a central monogram reading EAP, surrounded by a gilt knotwork design, and with a border of small gilt flowers and knotwork. All edges are gilt, elaborately gauffered with a floral design of small red flowers and green leaves. xxix; 247 pp.; illustrated by Birket Foster and others. The binding is in immaculate condition, housed in a somewhat worn solander case of padded green straight-grain morocco. A lavish example of a Sangorski & Sutcliffe jeweled binding, bearing a total of eighty-four jewels. These include twelve amethysts, ten Mexican fire opals, eight turquoises, one tourmaline, one ruby, eight moonstones, fourteen green chalcedonies, eighteen garnets, and four sapphires. The binding is of an uncommonly complex design, with much use of inlays (the Boyle catalogue states there are 664 in all), and dense double-struck gold tooling. The doublures are almost as elaborate as the covers themselves. This is a chef-d'oeuvre of the binder's art, exceptional even by the standards of Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Provenance: Phoebe A.D. Boyle; sold at Anderson Galleries, 1923
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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