1910 Scarce Book bound by Root - Ovid's Art and Remedy of Love
Author: Ovid. Embellishments by Edgar Wilson.
Title: The Art of Love.
Publisher: San Francisco & New York, Paul Elder and Company. Printed by Neill and Co., Ltd., Edinburgh. no date (1910).
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7" x 4".
Pages: 124 pages.
Binding: Near fine binding, finely bound by W. Root & Son, London, in full crimson crushed morocco leather. Raised bands to spine with elegant gilt floral tooling and gilt title “Art of Love – OVID.” Gilt-tooled turn-ins framing beautiful hand-marbled endpapers. All edges gilt. A very elegant presentation with minimal external wear; a small, faint mark on the rear board as shown under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing mainly on blank preliminary pages).
Illustrations: Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece in sanguine tone (captioned “Even she will yield, who swears she never will.”) and an ornate red-and-grey decorative title page. Illustrated embellishments by Edgar Wilson. Complete.
Estimate: (USD 275 – 375).
The book: A refined and handsomely bound edition of The Art of Love by the Roman poet Ovid, offering not only the famed poetic treatise on love and seduction but also several related poetic works. This edition, elegantly presented by Paul Elder & Co. and beautifully printed in Edinburgh by Neill & Co., stands out for its luxurious binding by W. Root & Son and decorative embellishments by Edgar Wilson. A captivating collector’s piece, ideal for lovers of classical literature and fine bookbinding alike.
The author: Ovid (43 BCE – 17/18 CE), born Publius Ovidius Naso, was one of the most influential poets of ancient Rome. His most famous works include Metamorphoses, Heroides, and Ars Amatoria (The Art of Love). A master of elegiac couplets and wit, Ovid’s influence on Western literature, particularly during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, was immense. His verses on love, transformation, and myth continue to resonate across cultures.