The Waverley Novels, complete in twelve volumes
1842–1846; in an attractive uniform half-leather binding
Author
Publisher
Printing Details
Twelve volumes, complete. Hardback, half-leather binding with five raised bands and simple gilt titling to spine, green cloth boards, with endpapers and page edges in green. Each 24 × 16.5cm. Pagination below. *I'm not quite sure what edition these are, or whether they were bound from parts. The text is printed in double columns, and, apart from a frontispiece and fold-out of Scott's handwriting (possibly bound in from an earlier edition), there are no illustrations (not that they're missing, the illustrations within the text are also absent). Cadell planned to print two sets of Scott's Waverley novels in the early 1840s, this may the "people's edition".
Each title has an introduction and notes. The books are:
1. Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since, and Guy Mannering (1842, 340pp)
2. The Antiquary, and Rob Roy (1842, pp341–659)
3. Old Mortality, Black Dwarf, and A Legend of Montrose (1842/1843, pp661–817, 134pp)
4. The Heart of Mid-Lothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor (1843, pp135–460)
5. Ivanhoe, A Romance, and The Monastery (1843, pp463–794)
6. The Abbot, and Kenilworth (1844, 331pp with map of Kenilworth Castle to rear)
7. The Pirate, and The Fortunes of Nigel (1844, pp333–677)
8. Peveril of the Peak, Quentin Durward (1845, pp679–910, 176pp)
9. St Ronan's Well, and Redgauntlet, A Tale of the Eighteenth Century (1845, 498pp)
10. The Betrothed, Chronicles of the Canongate, The Highland Widow, The Talisman and The Two Drovers (My Aunt Margaret's Mirror, The Tapestried Chamber, Death of the Laird's Jock). (1845, pp499–839)
11. Woodstock, or The Cavalier, and The Fair Maid of Perth (1846, 355pp)
12. Anne of Geierstein, Count Robert of Paris, The Surgeon's Daughter and Castle Dangerous. Glossary (1846, pp357–847)
Condition
A handsome set in very good condition for age. The rear board of volume 2 has some rippling and fading along the bottom edge, and most books have a degree of inoffensive spotted foxing. Some pages have been professionally repaired, and some pages have some marking but not affecting text. The main issue (and it's a small one) is the binder's glue for the pastedowns has dried and so nearly all pastedown's are loose (not detached) but they are in very good condition, and simply need gluing down again. Overall, a very nice set in strong readable condition. As mentioned above they are not an illustrated edition, possibly bound from parts.
Price
£150.00
