On offer a beautifully bound first edition of Handley Cross by Surtees.
First edition published 1853 with hand coloured engravings by John Leech.
Bound in half leather with five raised bands, decoration in gilt on the spine and marbled endpaper.
Housed in a slipcase and folder with padding. The folder opens up to reveal two newspaper cuttings laid in both on Handley Cross and Surtees, from the Times newspaper and dated 1939. One is a letter from William Fawcett asking for information on the origin of the places and characters in the book and expressing his admiration for Surtees. William Fawcett was the author of many books on hunting. He was killed in 1941 during the Second World War.
The cuttings are set within the folder in an embossed space and appear to have been treated or vanished by the binder to preserve them. Why someone has gone to this trouble is a mystery perhaps it was Fawcett's copy but this just a guess.
Another previous and earlier owner has signed the book 'Mr. Wood of the 98th Regiment' and dated it book '1873 Cambridge'.
The book is in very good condition with all plates and pages present. A really spectacular binding. On the inside of the back cover is a binders mark, a small gilt animal (horse maybe) running.