1891 Charles Duke Yonge The Life of Arthur, Duke of Wellington
1891 Charles Duke Yonge The Life of Arthur, Duke of Wellington
Couldn't load pickup availability
Charles Duke Yonge's survey, published in 1891 as part of Ward, Lock and Co.'s Minerva Library of Famous Books, is a solid and readable account from a historian already known for his Lives of Lord Liverpool and Marie Antoinette. The edition was edited by G. T. Bettany, M.A., B.Sc., and includes a portrait frontispiece after the original painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence, along with a fold-out sketch of the Battle of Waterloo showing the disposition of British troops, French cavalry, and the positions held by the Allied army on the 18th of June 1815.
What makes this particular copy worth holding onto is the binding. Half-bound in brown leather with rich marbled paper boards in deep burgundy, blue, and ochre, the spine is raised on five bands and decorated with gilt floret tooling and a double-panel gilt title. The marbled endpapers pick up the same red and blue and orange palette. It is a proper late Victorian private binding of the kind collectors actively hunt for now, and it has the quiet authority that only a book bound for a serious library can carry.
The binding sits with a little lean in the spine. The leather spine and corner tips show age-appropriate rubbing, with some wear along the joints and at the head and tail of the spine where the leather has softened and lifted slightly. The marbled boards remain vibrant, with light scuffing to the surfaces and minor wear at the edges and corners consistent with the period. The gilt tooling on the spine is still crisp and fully legible. Internally the text block is clean and tight, pages bright with only faint scattered spotting to a few preliminary leaves. The portrait frontispiece and the fold-out Waterloo map are both present and intact, the map folding out cleanly without tears. A handsome working copy with the honest wear of a well-kept late Victorian private binding.
Shipping & Returns
All antique and vintage items are shipped from our warehouse in Bluffdale, Utah. Each piece is carefully packed by hand using archival materials and custom crating when necessary.
Shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on the size and weight of the item. Local pickup is available at the AMD Warehouse.
All sales of antique and vintage items are final due to their unique, one-of-a-kind nature. Illuminé candles and The Collector's Guide may be returned within 14 days of delivery if unopened and in original condition.
If your piece arrives damaged, please photograph the damage immediately (including packaging), contact us within 48 hours at austynmariedesign@gmail.com, and do not discard any packaging.
Important Info About Antique & Vintage
Every antique and vintage item we carry has lived a life before arriving in your home. These are not factory-made products. They are objects with history, character, and the marks of time.
Age-appropriate wear, patina, minor imperfections, and signs of previous use or repair are inherent to antique and vintage items and are not considered defects. These characteristics are part of what makes each piece unique and are often what give it its beauty and value.
We describe the condition of each piece as accurately as possible in the listing. If you have specific questions about a piece before purchasing, please reach out. We are always happy to provide additional photos or details.
Colors may appear slightly different on screen due to monitor settings and photography lighting. We do our best to represent each item accurately.
