1901 Old Christmas From the Sketch Book of Washington Irving / Macmillan & Co., London / Illustrated / Leather Bound Antique Book

In good condition here is a lovely leather bound antique edition of Old Christmas From the Sketch-Book of Washington Irving. Published in 1901 by Macmillan and Company, London. Richly illustrated. This copy has never been opened very much as a number of the pages are still uncut.

Old Christmas is a collection of five short stories about Christmas. They chronicle the American writer's nostalgic recollections of Christmas traditions in 19th century Regency England. The text first appeared in 1819 in Irving's Sketchbook.

Inside the pages are clean and tightly bound. Has an inked inscription on an early endpaper dated 1908. With spotting scattered sporadically through the text. There are some rough edges to the pages from their initial opening and as mentioned above a number of the edges are still uncut. I have left them this way so that the new reader can enjoy opening them as the original readers would have done 123 years ago. The top closed edge is gilt, with mild tanning and spotting to the other two edges. Illustrated and decorated throughout by R Caldecott with charming seasonal Regency line drawings (see photos). Has pale green marbled endpapers.

In a lime-green leather binding with green cloth sides. The spine has five raised bands and gilt decoration. The leather has rubbed and tanned on the corner edges and the outside of the spine. With a little peeling away of the leather surface in places. The colour on the spine is now tan, with rubbing to the head and tail and a few scuffs. The gilt remains shiny bright.

Your antique copy of Old Christmas will be wrapped with care in tissue and ribbon* and sent well packaged. I am always happy to add a gift card with a message if desired. 

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H 17.5 cm x W 12.5 cm, 165 pages, 0.26 kg. I dispatch worldwide daily from the UK. With the exception of a small number of countries.

* If you would prefer for your book not to be decoratively wrapped but sent simply in the full protective packaging please add a note to the order.

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