London, Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1896
Published on the back of the success of Thomson's highly successful, illustrated edition of Pride and Prejudice in 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 edition thus; 8vo; frontispiece and illustrations by Hugh Thomson, heavy foxing to frontispiece tissue-guard with resultant offsetting to pages either side of it, which belies the internal condition otherwise, which is near-fine; publisher's crimson cloth with distinctive foliate design in and related gilt decoration to spine, all edges gilt, yellow peacock designed endpapers (lightly spotted), rubbing and bumping to corners and spine ends, minor wear to extremities and rear cover, else a very good copy save for the foxing to the frontispiece and title-page.
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 edition thus; 8vo; frontispiece and illustrations by Hugh Thomson, heavy foxing to frontispiece tissue-guard with resultant offsetting to pages either side of it, which belies the internal condition otherwise, which is near-fine; publisher's crimson cloth with distinctive foliate design in and related gilt decoration to spine, all edges gilt, yellow peacock designed endpapers (lightly spotted), rubbing and bumping to corners and spine ends, minor wear to extremities and rear cover, else a very good copy save for the foxing to the frontispiece and title-page.
About us
Shapero Rare Books is an internationally renowned dealer in antiquarian & rare books and works on paper.
Our Bookshop and Gallery can be found in the heart of Mayfair at 106 New Bond Street, where most of our stock is available to view and on public display.
We exhibit at major international art fairs, including TEFAF (Maastricht and New York), Frieze Masters, Art Miami and Masterpiece London, as well as antiquarian & rare book fairs including New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Hong Kong.
