Grey . The novel was inspired by Charlotte’s time teaching in Brussels in 1842, transforming her slightly melancholy experience there “into an exploration of a happier teacher–pupil relationship” ( ODNB ). 2 volumes, octavo (190 × 119 mm). Late 20th-century dark green morocco by Bayntun-Rivière of Bath, spines lettered in gilt, raised bands tooled in gilt and with gilt rules either side, single gilt rule to three sides of covers, marbled endpapers, turn-ins tooled in gilt, gilt edges. Housed in a custom blue cloth box. Advertisements leaf at end of vol. 1 for “Mrs. Gaskell’s Memoirs of Currer Bell”; 8 pp. advertisements for the “Uniform Edition of the Works of Currer Bell” and 24 pp. publisher’s catalogue dated November 1858 at the end of volume 2. Binding sharp and bright, contents remarkably fresh, only a couple of spots of browning to margins; a near-fine copy. ¶ Sadleir, XIX Century Fiction , 347; Smith 7; Wolff 827. £2,250 [153559]
This set was bound for the distinguished Gilded Age American bookseller Charles Emelius Lauriat (1874–1937), himself a noted collector of rare editions, who subscribed to one or more sets for his bookshop. The initial buyer was most likely Annie Edgerly Thayer (1870–1957), with her bookplate to the front doublure of vol. I. Thayer was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution whose uncle served under Custer at the Little Bighorn. She resided at Thayercrest in Farmington, New Hampshire, where this set remained until the dispersal of the Thayercrest library in 2014. 15 volumes, large octavo (231 × 155 mm). Finely bound by Rivière & Son for Charles E. Lauriat Co., Boston in red full crushed morocco, spines lettered in gilt with five raised bands, board edges tooled with paired gilt fillets, gilt- panelled citron and blue morocco doublures, turn-ins bordered with paired gilt fillets enclosing a Greek-key frame divided by stylised gilt chrysanthemums, red silk-coated
free endpapers, top edges gilt, other edges untrimmed. With numerous original artworks throughout. A lovely set, beautifully bound, contents notably fresh, trivial rubbing to a few volumes, tiny split to foot of front joint of vol. XII, else in fine condition. ¶ Bardwell Smith, “Frank Brinkley”, in Every Book, a Tale: Selections from Special Collections in the Laurence Mckinley Gould Library of Carleton College , p. 71. £25,000 [153388] 20 BRONTË, Charlotte. The Professor, a Tale. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1857 First edition of Charlotte Brontë’s earliest novel, written before Jane Eyre (1847) and originally submitted to publishers at the same time as Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and Anne Brontë’s Agnes
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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