Our Village
New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1904. Octavo. Item #022577
309pp., unopened. illustrated with 25 illustrations in color by C.E. Brock. Our Village(s) was originally issued in a series of five volumes at two-year intervals from 1824 to 1832 and became Mary Russell Mitford's most successful and celebrated achievement. Mitford was an only child and an invalid. Her father became a gambler and gambled all the money he made eventually using the money Mary made until his death in 1842, leaving behind nothing but debt for Mary. That was when life truly began for her. She started writing poetry, then on to writing drama. While she made a living for herself, she spent the rest of her life paying off father's debts until a carriage accident accelerated the ravages of rheumatism, she died January 10, 1855. A lovely copy bound by the publishers, E.P. Dutton in 3/4 blue crushed morocco over marbled paper covered boards with matching endpapers, raised bands gilt, red floral onlays gilt, top edge gilt, the original green gilt decorated cloth covers bound in at the rear. No names or bookplates, just a hint of fading to spine. Very nice.
Price: $275.00