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This is the J. M. Dent & Co. 3-volume (458, 464 & 466 pages) 1901 publication of James Boswell’s The Life of Samuel Johnson, printed by Turnbull and Spears, Edinburgh, edited by Arnold Glover, and with an introduction by Austin Dobson. There are about 100 illustrations by Herbert Railton, and numerous portraits, most with tissue guards.
This set is in very good overall condition, with a number of small surface chips to the half-leather covers (app. 8.75″ x 6.5″), which are otherwise clean, unfaded and securely attached at the spines, which have 5 raised bands and gilt lettering/decoration, which are in excellent condition. The marbled inside cover spreads are unfaded, clean and without attachments. The only attachment is a small number sticker to an otherwise blank front end page in Volume 1.
There is no writing, nor are there any notations. The only flaws of note are recurrent edge tears, most to volume III, a result of page edges having been slit open poorly. I’ve found 5 leaves with tears that extend into the print areas, presumably from the same inept opening, but with no text damaged (see photo). The pages (many uncut in volume III), are clean and unfaded. All the art is in fine condition.
