Italy, a Poem [and] Poems

London: T. Cadell and E. Moxton, 1834. First Illustrated Edition. Near fine. Turner and Stothard. 2 volumes; 8vo, 8 x 5 3/8 inches (202 x 135 mm); vii, [1], 284 pp.; viii, 296, [1] pp. Separately published works, often found as companion copies, in elegant matched bindings by Lucien Broca, stamp-signed on front turn-in. Crushed green morocco with gilt rules and intricate gilt floral and pointillé decorations on corners and turn-ins, gilt ruled board edges, raised bands with gilt dots, spine lavishly gilt in compartments with complex floral and pointillé designs and gilt lettering; bright green silk endpapers; t.e.g. Spine sunned, as typical of green morocco, but bindings square and in excellent condition. Occasional faint foxing. A total of 4 full-page plates, 20 in-text illustrations and over 100 steel-engraved headpieces and tailpieces most from designs by J. M. W. Turner and Thomas Stothard.
- W.A. Foyle library bookplate in red morocco pasted inside front cover of each volume.
[Ray 13, 15]. A superb set of poetical works by Samuel Rogers (1763 - 1855) from the esteemed library of bookseller/collector William A. Foyle. The verses in "Italy" were the fruit of Rogers' travels to Italy during which he met Shelley and Byron. They were published in their first iterations in 1826 and 1828, but were not well received, so Rogers withdrew the editions and remaining copies were destroyed. But Rogers was determined to make it a success. He set down to enlarge and revisd the poem, commission illustrations and published this 1830 edition at his own expense, embellished by the refined illustrations of two artists: Stothard (1755 - 1834), for the figure scenes, and Turner (1775 - 1851) for the landscape vignettes. This edition had great success and was followed by its matching volume, 'Poems,' in 1834. "Turner's illustrations for the companion volume of Rogers's Poems of 1834 are if anything superior to those for Italy. In both books his delicate and graceful vignettes, which are miracles of fine detail, seem fairly to float upon the page." [The Illustrator & the Book in England From 1790-1914. New York: The Pierpont Morgan Library, 1976. p.16]
The very attractive binding is the work of French-born binder Lucien Broca (1829-1910), who immigrated to London in 1875. He had worked as finisher in the workshop of Sarah Prideaux and is credit with much of the work attributed to Prideaux (Tidcombe, Marianne. Women Bookbinders, 1880 - 1920 / New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press / London: British Library, 1996, p. 109] He is particularly known for the perfection of his finishes, the crispness of line and solidity of impression.