Spine and Cover for Heman's Poetical Works (original) (raw)

Spine and Cover for Heman's Poetical Works

1851

Gold-stamped paper boards

7 3/4 x 4 3/4 inches

[A page from this volume]

This American edition of an extremely popular poet exemplifies the elaborate decoration of low-cost materials for book bindings made possible by mechanical presses. Perhaps intended as a gift or presentation book, it represents a middle-class emulation of aristocratic leather bindings.

Compare the less elaborately decorated edition of Tupper's Poetical Works by the same publisher [GPL].

Photograph and text by George P. Landow. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]

References

The Poetical Works of Mrs Felicia Hemans. New Edition. Boston: Phillips, Sampson, & Co., 1851.

Last modified 27 May 2005