1887 Scarce Victorian Book - The RAVEN by Edgar Allan POE (Illustrated by W. L. Taylor)

 

(description)

Author : Poe, Edgar, Allan.
Title : The Raven Illustrated.
Publisher : London: Griffith, Farran, Okeden & Welsh, 1887.
Language : Text in English.
Size : 8 " X 6 ".
Pages : Unpaginated.
Binding : Attractive and good scarce sewn leather binding with gilt title and embossed cover design (overall slightly scuffed, worn and chipped - as shown) under a removable mylar cover.
Content : Very good  (bright and tight, rare foxing and staining). 
Illustrations : Beautifully detailed, haunting illustrations and accent throughout by W. L. Taylor; drawn and engraved under the supervision of George T. Andrew.

Estimate: (USD 250 - USD 500)

The book : Very rare and attractive binding for this illustrated edition of the Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.  The Raven is a narrative poem first published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student,is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore". The poem makes use of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references. A rare find in any condition!

The author: Edgar Allan Poe (born Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism in the United States and American literature as a whole, and he was one of the country's earliest practitioners of the short story. Poe is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre and is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.