Title: The Poets of the Nineteenth Century.
Author: Selected and Edited by the Rev. Robert Aris Willmott.
Illustrators: Illustrated with one hundred engravings, drawn by eminent artists and engraved by the Brothers Dalziel.
Published: George Routledge & Co: London.
Published Date: 1857. First Edition.
Pagination: xv, 398 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
Provenance: Gifted to William Frederick De La Rue by JD [John Dalziel?] Please see the bottom of this page for a brief summary of the De La Rue name.
External Size: 23.5cm x 18cm.
Condition: Very Good.
This is a stunning, first edition of The Poets of the Nineteenth Century, selected and edited by the Rev. Robert Aris Willmott. Solidly bound in full leather with an exquisite gilt design to both the front and rear cover and the spine. The boards are in very good condition - there is some rubbing/bumping to the corners and extremities, and minor fading to the gilt on the spine, but otherwise clean and vibrant. The contents are age toned with some intermittent moderate foxing/toned throughout. All edges gilt, which is beautifully clean and glossy! Filled with illustrations by the best known artists of the period, which were then engraved by the Brothers Dalziel. A truly beautiful book with provenance - perfect for the collector.
This book comes with a basic printed guide to the De La Rue family and its story, which was produced by the Royal Philatelic Society as part of an exhibition that that held which focused on the De la Rue Family. I have summarised/taken key information from this guide. 'In 1829, Thomas De La Rue produced twenty-five copies of the New Testament in 'pure gold powder,' a copy of which was given to King William VI on his accession - the De La Rue name then became synonymous with excellence and the highest quality. The company went on to produce envelopes and playing cards and exhibited at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851 and the 1855 Paris Exhibition. At this point Thomas's son, William Frederick (recipient of this book) joined the business and developed the typography printing process. The company went on to produce stamps and by 1901 their designs were approved by King Edward VII for use in Great Britain, India and most Colonies. The business eventually failed, but the De La Rue name lived on.'