1830 The Keepsake; a Gift Book - Three Original Stories by Mary Shelley

Description: The Keepsake for 1830. Edited by Frederic Mansel Reynolds. London: Published for the Proprietor, By Hurst, Chance, and Co,, and B. Jennings. Printed by Thomas Davison. Three original stories by Mary Shelley: "The Mourner, A Tale," "The Evil Eye, A Tale," and "The false Rhyme, A Tale." They do not list Shelley's name, but rather, "The Author of Frankenstein." Fine binding, lacking "Presentation Plate," 352 pp, 7.5 x 4.75", 12mo. In good condition. Both front and rear hinges are rubbed & fragile, but still intact. Scuffing around edges & corners of boards. Gilt deco and bordering on front and rear boards bright and clean. Gilt lettering and deco on spine is beginning to chip/soil, but is still legible. Gilt denetelles are bright and clean. All edges gilt. Previous ownership signature on front fly-leaf. Marginalia found on un-decorated side of marbled end-page & table of contents. Tissue guard between first two plates exhibits loss at top corner. A few tissue guards exhibit pencil tracing of plates. Light toning throughout text-block, some instance of light foxing. Tissue guards exhibit off-setting from plates. Binding intact, please see photos. Gift books, literary annuals, or keepsakes were 19th-century books, often lavishly decorated, which collected essays, short fiction, and poetry. They were primarily published in the autumn, in time for the holiday season and were intended to be given away rather than read by the purchaser. They were often printed with the date of the coming new year, but copyrighted with the actual year of publication. "The Mourner" is a short story exploring themes of isolation and identity. It is a reflection of Mary Shelley's own grief experienced after her husband, Percy Shelley's, death while sailing on his schooner, Don Juan, during a terrible storm. There is a dramatic shift in all of Shelley's literature after Percy's death and the death of her close friend Lord Byron. Shelley, more than likely, based the main character "Ellen" as a personification of herself. "The Evil Eye" employs many motifs common in Gothic fiction, including abduction, revenge, and the curse of the Evil Eye. The tale displays the aesthetics of Romantic Orientalism, and can be categorized as an Oriental tale. "The False Rhyme" is one of Mary Shelley's shortest stories & it follows unusually closely to the content of the engraving provided as prompt and accompanying illustration by the editors of "The Keepsake." The story is also a prime example of Shelley's wit and humor. A beautifully bound gift book, with excellent writers and stories. RAREB1830BOPB11/23 - HK925

Price: 600 USD

Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2024-12-20T16:48:26.000Z

Shipping Cost: 6.13 USD