About this Item
A scarce collection of historical biographies by William Seward With a frontispiece to each volume and 13 additional plates of portraits, sheet music and fascimiles. Direct from the Regency library of Elizabeth Greenly, later Lady Elizabeth Coffin Greenly. Elizabeth Greenly, born at Titley Court, Herefordshire, was a noted and varied collector. She kept prolific diaries from 1784 until her death in 1839 which included her responses to current events and occasions in her daily life. Among the diaries many names and anecdotes of celebrities of the time appear, including Lord Byron, Marie Atoniette, Mary Wollstonecraft and Hannah More. She was known to comment on customs of foreign countries to which she and her friends had travelled, and had a keen interest in scientific discoveries and advancements including medicine and archaeology. The Greenly library contents show Elizabeth Greenly's numerous interests including: Welsh causes, Science, topography, travel, Bibliana and literature, particularly female poets. The library contains many first editions of contemporary works, and many are signed or contain her bookplate. The library contained over 1000 volumes which show the diversity and depth of her interests and give an insight into the life of this fascinating collector. Collated, complete in four volumes. Fifth Edition William Seward was a man of letters best known for his collection of anecdotes. In half calf bindings. Externally Volumes I and IV are very worn whilst volumes II and III are generally smart. The paper to boards of vol I is lifting, there is a loss to spine and the joints are tender but reasonably firm. The front hinge has failed with pastedown, board and backstrip seperate from textblock. The rear hinge is tender. Volume IV has rubbing to spine and is lacking the paper to front board. The rear board has detached and missing. Backstrip is loose and front board has detached with endpapers attached to board. Volumes II and III have light rubbing to spine and joints. Front hinge to vol II is starting but firm. Both vols II and III are internally firmly bound with scattered spots throughout, heavier spotting to last few pages of volume II. Internally, the bindings to volumes I and IV are weak. The title page is disbound to vol I. Volume IV, the frontispiece, title page and pages 2-16 are disbound. Volume I has scattered spots throughout. Volume IV is heavily mould damaged throughout with particular damage to frontispiece. Disparity between the volumes: Volume I, GOOD, Volumes II and III VERY GOOD, Volume IV POOR, Reading copy only. Fair.
Seller Inventory # SET66-F-1
Contact seller
Report this item
