Title: The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope.
Author: Alexander Pope.
Publisher: William Pickering.
Edition: Aldine Edition of the British Poets.
Bookbinder: John Hayday.
Publication date: 1843-1844.
Origin: London.

Description: 842 Pp. (V1; 168 p., V2; 311, V3; 363 p.) 18mo. Full brown pebble grain leather, gilt stamped title on 5 banded spine cover, covers accented by triple blind stamped/ruled boarders, gilt edges in a Pointilism style, full gilt leaf edges, plain endpapers, frontispiece portrait of author opposite title page, blue grosgrain silk cords in each volume, finely bound by James Hayday.

Measures: 1 (overall 3.25) W x 4.25 D x 6.5 H inches.

About the author: Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century. An exponent of Augustan literature, Pope is best known for his satirical and discursive poetry including The Rape of the Lock, The Dunciad, and An Essay on Criticism, and for his translations of Homer.

About the Bookbinder: Works bound by Hayday became famous, and his name attached to a book raised its value twenty-five per cent. Edward Gardner of the Oxford Warehouse, 7 Paternoster Row, secured Hayday's services for the Oxford books exclusively. William Pickering, bookseller, of 57 Chancery Lane, gave him the benefit of his long experience, and introduced him to many wealthy patrons. After entering into a brief partnership with Mr. Boyce, ‘a finisher,’ he again started on his own account at 31 Little Queen Street. Unable to compete with other and cheaper binders, he was adjudicated a bankrupt on 10 June 1861.

He sold the use of his name to William Mansell, who succeeded to the bookbinding establishment. Retiring to St Leonards-on-Sea, Hayday died there on 19 March 1872, aged 76.