30 More Old Books Worth Buying For the Cover Alone
by Beth CarswellSearch Rare Books
Not long ago, we featured my 30 favorite pieces of contemporary fiction - based entirely on the cover art, instead of the content. The feature did well, and encouraged us to look at beautiful books from a different angle - how had book design and jacket design changed, and what did beautiful books look like a century ago? We again selected 30 books, this time from approximately 100 years ago, which best enticed the eye. Decorated cloth over boards, gilt, embossing and debossing, watermark illustrations behind text on pages and more - these were the kind of books you pray to find at a yard sale and display proudly on your shelf, cover facing out.
It became one of our most popular features. Of the 30 books selected, all sold in the first 48 hours. We replaced them when the same cover/edition was available (though many were the only copy), and replenished the page. Still people wrote to us asking questions, commenting on how lovely the books were, and ordering.
Since so many AbeBooks customers loved the feature and asked for more, and we love any excuse to root through the stacks (okay, listings) in search of beautiful treasures, we've found 30 more. As before, some are the only copy available, and they range in price, but many are very affordable, and all are works of art. Enjoy!
Please note: prices are approximate to within a small margin, as currencies fluctuate. Copies on display may sell quickly.
Sindbad the Sailor & other Stories from the Arabian Nights
Edmund Dulac
1914
$990.00
Find all copies
In case you missed them the first time around:
30 Novels Worth Buying For the Cover Alone
30 Old Books Worth Buying For the Cover Alone
