Fine bindings. 1884 The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. Illustrator Gustave Dore. Folio.

A stunning fine binding, protected in an imposing clamshell box, adorns this 1884 folio edition of Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven, illustrated by Gustave Dore, in what has been called a "masterpiece" exhibition of book illustration. The decoration of the binding mirrors an illustration of Dore within.

The folio size of the volume display Dore's brilliant, haunting and beautiful illustrations wonderfully. These illustrations were the last Dore completed before his 1883 death, and he never saw the work. Some consider the work a culminative demonstration of his life's work and skill.

Twenty-seven illustrations decorate the work, with all but the title-page illustration being in the form of leaves dedicated solely to the illustration. For all but three (Nevermore, Ananke, and the Sphinx), there is a tissue guard with the associated verses from the poem. Illustrations Nevermore and Ananke are prefatory, and The Sphinx is used as a tail-piece at the last printed leaf.

The title page illustration was executed by Elihu Vedder, not Dore.

Karen McGuire, a second-generation binder, whose family bindery experience includes some of the finest binderies in England, signed this binding at the rear.

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 47 x 37.5 x 2.5 cm. Folio.

The binding has black morocco leather spines and fore-edges, with brown morocco boards.

The brown morocco is decorated with onlays of green, brown, black and tan illustrating death resting on a world; the world, stars and galaxies are decorated with a mix of tools applied in gilt and blind, which include dentelle decoration of star shapes, circles, among fillets forming the world. "The Raven" is in gilt at the base of the front board. The black leather of the spine and fore-edges have gilt applied to them in a galaxy-esque application.

The spine has six raised bands; five compartments have a central gilt flowering floret, two compartments have the author, illustrator and title in gilt, the year is at the base of the spine and each compartment is bordered at top and bottom by a gilt fillet.

Black and gold endbands. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Black leather hinges. 27 illustrations, as discussed above.

Pages - blank leaf, (numbering starts at 1/2 title leaf) pages numbered 1-23 (with 24 being a blank verso; Nevermore illustration is part of these numbered pages, although no page number was printed on it as many of the others also do not), 25 leaves of illustrations (with facing tissue guards for all but Ananke and The Sphinx), with one blank leaf at end.

The clamshell is a finished in cloth, with a leather title label, with the title, illustrator and authors in gilt, applied to the front board. It's lined with black velvet-like material.

Condition -

See pictures. Corners of protective clamshell were bumped by shipping company. Stunning binding with almost no signs of wear (perhaps the lightest impressions made by the binder applying their tools).

Some thumbing along fore-edge and bottom edge throughout. Occasional small rust spot throughout. Light ink wash mark at date on title page, and several similar on verso of facing blank page. Same mark occasionally occurs in margins, might be a form of thumbing of someone with a little ink on their finger.

Occasional light crease to tissue guards. 1 cm chip at bottom of one tissue guard, another guard with 5 cm tear from bottom edge, and one with 1 cm tear from fore-edge. About five leaves have the slightest hint of a dog-ear at bottom corner. Last five plates (and associated tissue) and last blank leaf with moisture marks, about 3" long, just at fore-edge and top edge (see pictures); very minor.

Overall, a beautiful book.