The Enemies of Books
London: Trübner & Co., 1880. First Edition. Frontispiece plus 6 plates intended to show various means of book illustration. Engraved typographic ornaments. Marbled paper over boards with leather spine and fore corners. Octavo. xvi, 110 pages.
A charming and influential bibliophilic essay of the Victorian era, whose author mounts a spirited defense of the physical book as a cultural artifact with importance beyond its content. Blades, a printer and scholar, laments the many forces that destroy books, including fire, water, gas and heat, dust and neglect, ignorance, the bookworm (silverfish), other vermin, bookbinders, and collectors. Each is treated with a mix of humor, indignation, reverence for the printed word and physical book.
This copy is in an old fine binding the original vellum wrappers bound in. In addition to the interesting plates intentionally produced by various methods there are charming headpieces, tailpieces, and initial capitals throughout.
Near fine with minor rubs along joints and extremities. Hinges sound. Gilt-stamped titling to spine, top edge gilt, five raised bands on spine.
Item #2140
Price: $350