1864 Rare Book in a Beautiful Binding - THE LIFE and ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE.
(description)
Author: Defoe, Daniel.
Title: THE LIFE & ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. With a portrait and one hundred illustrations by J D. Watson engraved by the Brothers Dalziel.
Publisher: London, Routledge, Warne and Routledge, Farringdon Street, 1864.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 9 " X 7 ".
Pages : xx-497-(2) pages.
Binding: Attractive, beautiful, and Very good publisher's blue pictorial cloth with gilt lettering and decoration, sailing ship and two portraits in gilt to both covers, all edges gilt (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown ) under a protective removable mylar cover. Probably bound by Leighton Son and Hodge. See Ruari McLean, Victorian Publisher's Book-Bindings, page 111 for a full-page illustration. A rare find in any condition!
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, some light foxing or staining - as shown, blank endpapers were probably replaced by a previous owner - as shown).
Illustrations: Complete with the nice portrait frontispiece (small crease to lower corner - as shown) and 100 illustrations by John Dawson Watson beautifully engraved by the Brothers Dalziel.
Estimate: (USD 500 - USD 700)
The book: Attractive, beautiful, and scarce edition of Robinson Crusoe in a splendid original binding!
The author: Daniel Defoe (1660 – 24 April 1731), born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe, which is second only to the Bible in its number of translations. Defoe is noted for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain with others such as Aphra Behn and Samuel Richardson, and is among the founders of the English novel. Defoe wrote many political tracts and often was in trouble with the authorities, including prison time. Intellectuals and political leaders paid attention to his fresh ideas and sometimes consulted with him.
The illustrator: John Dawson Watson RWS (20 May 1832 – 3 January 1892) was a British painter, watercolorist, and illustrator. He was educated King Edward VI Grammar School, Sedbergh School, and Manchester School of Design. His son was the Impressionist painter Dawson Dawson-Watson. His daughter, Francis, married Myles Birkett Foster in 1864.