SCOTT (Sir Walter, Bart.). [Series/half title:] Waverley novels. Centenary Edition. Vol.I [- XXV]. [On specific title:] Edinburgh: Adam & Charles Black, 1885 [- 1887]. 25 Vols., complete; each volume with engraved frontispiece and vignette specific title-page, with tissue guard; blank before half/series title in volumes I, IV, XVI, and XXIII, blank at end in volumes VII, VIII, XV, XXIII, and XXIV; publisher's advertisement slip tipped on to front end-paper in volumes I, II, III, XXI, XXII, XXIII, and XXIV; dark green glazed linen, ruled blind on sides, blocked, lettered, and with short rules, gilt, on spine; t.e. uncut, fore-edges mainly trimmed. In general effect, a very nice bright set COMPLETE WITH THE ORIGINAL PRINTED PAPER DUST-WRAPPERS, two or three of these with slight chipping, mostly at head and tail of spines, several with some fraying, one dampstained, rather badly frayed, and with minor chipping; the dust-wrappers in general very clean and bright, though with some very slight fading and darkening on spines: all now protected in loose paper-lined clear plastic sleeves. 25 Vols.

A reissue in monthly volumes, priced at 2/-, of the Centenary [best] Edition of 1870-71, each volume with notes at foot of text, an appendix of Notes, and an Index, with Appendices to the various Introductions, and Glossaries, as called for by the texts, including all the various published Introductions written by Scott, together with the additional notes and variant readings, representing Scott's latest thoughts, derived from his own interleaved copies of his works in the possesion of the publishers. A not uncommon edition in itself, but decidedly rare with any of the volumes in dust-wrapper, let alone the entire set, as here. English dust-wrappers of this vintage are extremely scarce. The set as a whole is of possible significance for any study of the development of the dust-wrapper in England (here called by the publisher "the paper wrapper"). Issued in consecutive months, beginning November 1st 1885, and concluding on November 1st 1887, a period of just over two years, the dust-wrappers show a progressive development in the publisher's use of them as an advertising medium. All the dust-wrappers are the same as regards the front panel and spine, the spine bearing a double thick-thin rule at head and tail, extending over the front and back panels, the spine and front panel being lettered from type, and the front panel bearing in addition typographical ornaments and a small engraved portrait of Scott. For the first five volumes the dust-wrappers are otherwise plain, but with volume six a blurb is introduced on the front inside flap (consisting of comments on Scott by Charlotte Bronte, Washington Irving, Coleridge, Byron, Keble, Ruskin, etc.), a Notice regarding the completeness of the edition on the inside back flap, and a publisher's advertisement of the various sets of The Waverly Novels published by Black on the back panel. Volume seven moves the Notice to the front flap, lists Scott's novels on the back flap, and puts a more useful advertisement on the back panel. This is continued through until volume eleven, the back panel advertisements being regularly changed, and with volume eleven an illustrated advertisement being used on the back panel for the first time. Volume twelve repeats the dust-wrapper of volume six, volume thirteen that of seven (but with a transposition of the flap advertisements, which holds henceforth), volume fourteen that of nine, volume fifteen that of eleven, volume sixteen that of ten, seventeen six again, eighteen repeats the back panel of ten, by moves the list of Scott's novels to the back flap once more, and uses the front flap for a series of publisher's advertisements, nineteen is again as six, but with the blurb moved to the back flap, whilst the front flap carries a new publisher's advertisement, twenty repeats eight, as does twenty-two, but with a transposition of the flap texts, whilst twenty-one repeats eight, but drops the Notice on the front flap in favour of publisher's advertisements, twenty-three repeats thirteen, twenty-four repeats eleven, but replaces the Notice on the front flap with a publisher's advertisement, and twenty-five again repeats six, but moves the Notice to the front flap, and puts the list of Scott's novels on the back flap. With the exception of those on certain children's books, these are the earliest English dust-wrappers we have seen with an illustration on the front panel, and, without exception, they are also the earliest we have seen to carry either a blurb or publisher's advertisements - planning of the designs having evidently been promoted by the periodic nature of the issue.

Click here to return to catalogue of books currently available