BOOK

Romola / by George Eliot ; with illustrations by Sir Frederick Leighton, P.R.A.

Date

1880

By

Eliot, George, 1819-1880, Leighton of Stretton, Frederic Leighton, Baron, 1830-1896, Russell, Jean Stewart, Fazakerley, Thomas, Fazakerley, John, Bromer Booksellers, Smith, Elder, and Co, R. Clay, Sons, and Taylor

Notes

"In two volumes."

Limited ed. of 1000 copies.

"London: R. Clay, Sons, and Taylor, Bread Street Hill, E.C."--Colophon.

Weber, L.G. Annotated dictionary of fore-edge painting artists & binders, FZ3, p. 141

Binding and fore-edge paintings Digital image. Wellington, N.Z. : National Library of New Zealand.

Digital image available: bookbinding and fore-edge paintings, Alexander Turnbull Library Rare Book copy. Details available on request from Curator, Rare Books and Fine Printing.

Alexander Turnbull Library Rare Book copy. Binding: brown crushed goatskin; gilt monograms on upper cover of Vol.1 MNK? and on vol.2 DNK?; doublures feature a Greek urn with two tendrils rising in a delicate swirling pattern, with a variety of buds and flowers emanating from them and filling the panel, the opposite leaf is brown watered silk; binder's gilt stamp on doublure "Fazakerley Binder Liverpool". Both volumes have exposed larger central fore-edge paintings flanked by two smaller paintings, all of which are related to Eliot's novel. On vol.1 the larger painting depicts the title character assisting her blind father in his study, and the smaller paintings show the front of a Florentine villa and a bridge scene; on vol.2 the larger painting has Romola kneeling before the monk Savonarola to receive his blessing, and the smaller paintings depict an archway above and a sea cliff below. Both vols have gauffered strapwork which frames the paintings and extends across three edges of the textblock. Provenance: ink inscription on flyleaf of both vols "Jean Stewart Russell 1902"; dated in pencil at end of text, vo. 2, p. 403 "August 10. 1894." purchased from Bromer Booksellers, 2013. Copy no. 57. Acc. 407279-407280.

The Alexander Turnbull Library copy in the General Collection has fawn cloth binding, and has bookplate of Sir Joseph Kinsey bequest to Alexander Turnbull Library, 1936.

The Alexander Turnbull Library has copy no. 393 in a limited edition of 1,000 copies in the General Collection.

Source URL