Leaflets of Memory

Truly, a treasured lovely, being an 1847 edition of Leaflets of Memory, the third in its publishing history of 11 such, issued irregularly. This exemplar edited by Reynell Coates, published by E.H. Butler of Philadelphia. Features excerpts from both better and lesser known authors. Handsomely bound in burgundy cloth over boards, to say the absolutely very least, with elaborate gilt- and green- and and burgundy-tooled illustrations to front and rear covers. Tightly bound, moderate rubbing to, light scuffing of edges, tips. Split to bottom third of front joint, foxing to tissue protecting a truly fetching "Presented to" Presentation Page denoting that the previous owner was Miss Mary Ann Putnam. Intricately engraved frontis portrait of Anastasia, tissue-protected, and then a lovely full-color, full-page title page, with gilt border, fanciful vignette depicting a classical scene (shield-bearing soldier, Victorian lady, palm trees, classical columns, etc.). Several illuminated pages, too, being unusually vibrantly colored, but some really sumptuous color for the time. Mary Shelley's "Euphrasia: a tale of Greece" appears here, too (see below). This table of contents rendered in full color, tissue-protected, denotes an Illuminated Presentation Plate (as above), Anastasia, Illuminated Title Page, Illuminated Illustrations, Illuminated Stanzas, The Proposal, The Glee Maiden, The Nereid, The Mountain Guard, Jeremiah, The Glen and The Sisters. Poetry and prose contributions by the editor (in several), and by Anonymous, Miss M.A. Browne, Julia R. Bowers, Celia Moss, J. Lindsay, Henry B. Hirst, Rev. Robert Hall, Mrs. Abdy, R. Bernal, D. Ellen Booth, T.K. Hervey, Mrs. Abdy again, Mrs. M.A. Browne again, Hannah D. Burdon, Miss M.A. Browne yet again, R. Monckton Milner, Virginia Murray and Mrs. Crawford, and then Mrs. Shelley (!), her "Euphrasia," which first appeared in 1838. Yes, that Mrs. Shelley. Exemplars of The Keepsake were of a genre of English anthology that played heavily in gift-economies of pre- and early-Victorian England. They could not have been cheap back then, given the production standards and high-arts deployed here; they served as gift-books for birthdays, other life events and holidays. Shelley was of course known mostly for Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus (1818). "Euphrasia" here is told in several different points of view and extended snippets of dialogue of the story's protagonists. Scarce in any condition.Member, I.O.B.A., C.B.A., and adherent to the highest ethical standards. Additional postage may be required for oversize or especially heavy volumes, and for sets. …