London, George Allen, 1894
Hugh Thomson (1860-1920) renowned illustrator, in pen and ink, of classic titles; he was born in Ireland where his skills as an illustrator were recognised while still a teenager. Consequently Thomson was trained by John Vinycomb, the head designer at Marcus Ward & Co., a prominent Belfast publishing house. He subsequently moved to England, working from 1883 for MacMillan & Co., illustrating all six of Jane Austen's novels and other literary classics. By 1900 he had become one of the most popular illustrators of his time. However, during the First World War there was less demand for his style of work and he took a job with the Board of Trade until his untimely death from heart disease.
First fully illustrated edition, one of 250 large paper copies 'printed for England and 25 copies for America'; 4to (230 x 175 mm); with the illustrations specially printed on China paper and laid down, very faint mark to base of frontispiece, otherwise internally near-fine, later half green morocco, over corresponding cloth, marbled endpapers and edges, fading to spine and mild age-toning, otherwise, near-fine.
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