Book Description
[London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1913]. Large quarto. (12 1/4 x 9 3/4 inches). Decorative uncoloured title and uncoloured illustrations and decorations, 22 mounted coloured plates, all after Hugh Thomson. Original vellum, upper cover and spine elaborately blocked in gilt the upper cover with additional rules in violet (as issued), top edge gilt (ties lacking). Limited edition of 1000 copies signed by the illustrator: this copy numbered 305. This work is a delightful piece of book art, including some of Thomson's finest illustrations, and is one of Barrie's most noted dramatic works.
Not sure what some of these terms mean? Look it up in our glossary.
top edge gilt : The top of the text block (the edges the pages that are visible when looking directly down at the top of a closed book) has been decorated with a gold-like finish.
spine : The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf. Also known as the back.
gilt : The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book. The edges of the text block, or an inlay in the front cover of the boards, for example.
plates : Full page illustrations or photographs. Plates are printed separately from the text of the book, and bound in at production. I.e., they are not sewn as parts of gatherings.
quarto : A term used generally to describe the approximate size of a book, a book that is about 10" to 12" tall and roughly squarish in shape. The term is based on the size of paper traditionally used by book printers which has been folded and cut into 16 pages.
vellum : A fine quality of parchment made from hide produced for binding or sometimes a writing surface. Sometimes used to describe paper which has been made to resemble true vellum.
