Queen Victoria Life and Times Gilt Decorated Cloth
Queen Victoria Life and Times Gilt Decorated Cloth
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This late Victorian biography, published by Walter Scott of London at Paternoster Square around the 1890s, traces Victoria's life from her early years through decades of rule, marriage to Prince Albert, and the expansion of British influence across the globe. The title page gives her full style, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, and opens with a verse tribute to her as Mother, Wife, and Queen. The authorship is not stated, the book credited only to the author of Grace Darling, a popular Victorian historian whose name did not appear on the title page. The volume is issued with thirty-five illustrations, including engraved portraits, historical scenes, and at least one colour plate, among them a view of Adelaide in South Australia that speaks to the imperial sweep of the text.
The real pleasure of this copy is the binding. The brown cloth boards carry a polychrome floral design in blue and yellow, set against a gilt title panel, with the decoration continuing down the spine. All edges are gilt, a detail reserved for gift and presentation editions, and the overall effect is exactly what you want in a late Victorian decorative volume. It has real shelf presence.
The binding is solid overall, with some loosening at the front cover, though the text block itself remains secure. The decorative cloth boards show light rubbing at the corners and edges, with minor wear at the head and tail of the spine. The gilt decoration on the front board and spine is still bright and clearly defined, and the gilt page edges remain vivid.
Internally, the pages show light age toning and scattered foxing, which is typical for a book of this period. The title page is clean and fully legible, with the publisher's imprint and thirty-five illustrations statement intact. All plates appear to be present. There are no inscriptions, bookplates, or ownership markings. Overall, a well-preserved and very displayable example of a late Victorian illustrated biography.
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