Product Details

A handsome 19th-century illustrated edition of Valerie: An Autobiography by Captain Frederick Marryat, published by George Routledge and Sons in London. No publication date is visible on the photographed title page, so I would not assign a specific year to this copy without additional evidence. Valerie follows the life and experiences of its title character through a series of dramatic personal and social adventures. This volume includes full-page black-and-white illustrations, including the dramatic frontispiece shown in the photographs. The book is especially notable for its decorative period binding, featuring a gilt-tooled leather spine with raised bands, contrasting leather title labels reading “Marryat’s Novels” and “Valerie,” leather corners, and striking red, cream, and blue marbled paper-covered boards and endpapers. Condition: The binding shows expected age-related wear, including rubbing and scuffing to the leather, corners, edges, and boards. The marbled surfaces show some rubbing and handling wear. Interior pages and preliminary leaves display scattered foxing, spotting, and toning, as clearly visible in the photographs. The gilt spine decoration remains attractive and legible. Please review all photographs carefully for the exact condition and completeness of the volume. A visually impressive example of Victorian decorative bookbinding, pairing Marryat’s fiction with an illustrated text and richly marbled presentation. Your book will be carefully packaged to ensure it arrives safely. Please review all photographs, as they are considered part of the description.