LONDON: ITS CELEBRATED CHARACTERS AND REMARKABLE PLACES

London: Richard Bentley, 1871. 204 x 132 mm. (8 x 5 1/4"). Three volumes expanded to six..
FINE CRIMSON CRUSHED MOROCCO, GILT, BY LUCIEN BROCA (stamp-signed on front turn-ins), covers with French fillet border, central panel framed by French fillets, fleurons extending obliquely from corners, intricate volute cornerpieces to panel, raised bands, spine compartments with central fleuron within a lozenge of small tools, volute cornerpieces, gilt lettering, densely gilt turn-ins, scarlet silk pastedowns and endleaves, top edges gilt (vol. I with older repairs to head of joints). WITH 303 PLATES, mostly engraved, one double-page, depicting London luminaries and locations, all with paper guards. Each volume with title page of the "Illustrated" edition, printed in red and black. Front pastedowns with bookplate of Joel Cheney Wells. A breath of rubbing to extremities, isolated trivial smudges or small stains, but A VERY FINE SET, clean and fresh internally, with none of the offsetting usually found in extra-illustrated sets, and in well-preserved bindings that are most attractive on the shelf.

This is a particularly appealing copy of Jesse's entertaining and informative tour of his beloved city and the characters who have inhabited it over the centuries; it has been professionally "grangerized" with more than 300 relevant illustrations, all with tissue guards; it has been beautifully bound by a master in fine morocco; and, despite these obvious benefits, it has seen very little use. John Heneage Jesse (1809-74) wrote a number of popular historical works, including royal biographies and court memoirs, that drew praise for their conscientious attention to fact and detail, if not for their originality or wit. Described by DNB as "a dedicated Londoner, [who] seldom ventured away from the metropolitan area," Jesse leads us here through the districts of his home city, relating anecdotes, noting the locations of momentous events, and pointing out architectural treasures. The added portraits, scenes, and views help to bring his account to life, and the diligent use of tissue guards has prevented these illustrations from affecting the adjacent leaves in a detrimental way. The very attractive bindings are the work of French-born binder Lucien Broca (1829-1910), who immigrated to London in 1875. According to Tidcombe's "Women Bookbinders," Broca was a "superb trade finisher" who originally worked for Antoine Chatelin, then went into partnership with German émigré Simon Kauffmann from 1876 to 1889. Tidcombe and Sarah Prideaux's former pupil Katherine Adams believed that most of the bindings attributed to Prideaux between 1890 and 1900--some 290 volumes--were actually done by Broca, with Tidcombe giving the Frenchman credit for the "best Prideaux bindings." Prideaux never publicly acknowledged his work, perhaps for fear of disappointing fans of the most famous woman bookbinder in England. Broca moved on to his own business as an "Art Binder" in 1901, and our binding was probably done about that time. The beauty of the present design is dependent on his perfection of finish, and crispness of line and solidity of impression--Broca's hallmarks--wins the day here. This set is from the library of American antiquarian Joel Cheney Wells (1874-1960). Together with his brother, Albert B. Wells (1872-1953), he built an important collection of early American clocks, which now forms the basis of the collection of the Old Sturbridge Village Museum in Massachusetts. His primary business interest was in the eyeglasses industry; he is credited with multiple innovations in the production of glasses and bifocals, which is referenced in the pair of glasses concealed in the border of his bookplate..