1856 Rare Captain Frederick Marryat Set - Mr. Midshipman Easy; Peter Simple; ...
An exceptionally handsome little Victorian maritime library by Captain Marryat, uniformly bound in richly gilt half leather with vivid marbled boards.
Author: Frederick Marryat.
Titles: Mr. Midshipman Easy (1856); Peter Simple (1859); The Dog Fiend; or, Snarleyyow (1856); Rattlin, The Reefer (1854).
Publisher: London, G. Routledge & Co. / Routledge, Warnes, and Routledge / Richard Bentley.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 6.5 x 4 inches.
Binding: Very good uniform half brown leather bindings over richly marbled boards, with elaborate gilt-decorated spines, raised bands, and contrasting red morocco spine labels. An attractive and well-preserved Victorian decorative set with light rubbing and minor wear to extremities. Under a protective, removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content with scattered foxing throughout. Each volume bears the same armorial-style bookplate of a previous owner, giving the set a pleasing sense of provenance and continuity. B
Illustrations: Rattlin, The Reefer includes an engraved frontispiece and was published by Richard Bentley in 1854. The three remaining volumes, published by Routledge between 1856 and 1859, were issued without frontispieces.
Estimate: (USD 350–500).
The books: This beautifully preserved uniform set gathers four of the most enduring nautical adventure novels by Captain Frederick Marryat, one of the great pioneers of maritime fiction. Bound in elegant Victorian half leather with striking marbled paper boards, the volumes possess the refined appearance of a gentleman’s private travelling library.
Included in the set are:
• Rattlin, The Reefer (Richard Bentley, 1854), featuring an engraved frontispiece.
• The Dog Fiend; or, Snarleyyow (G. Routledge & Co., 1856).
• Mr. Midshipman Easy (G. Routledge & Co., 1856).
• Peter Simple (Routledge, Warnes, and Routledge, 1859).
Marryat’s novels helped define the nineteenth-century sea story, blending naval realism, humor, adventure, and vivid depictions of life aboard British warships during the age of sail. His works profoundly influenced later writers including Joseph Conrad and C. S. Forester, and remain among the foundational classics of nautical literature.
The visual harmony of the bindings, together with the shared ownership marks and attractive state of preservation, make this a particularly appealing decorative and literary set.
The author: Captain Frederick Marryat (1792–1848) served as an officer in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic era before turning to literature. Drawing heavily upon his naval experiences, he became one of the nineteenth century’s most popular adventure writers. His novels, including Peter Simple, Mr. Midshipman Easy, and Snarleyyow, combined authentic maritime detail with lively storytelling and helped establish the nautical adventure genre that would later flourish in both literature and film.