The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer

Stratford-Upon-Avon: Printed at the Shakespeare Head Press...and published for the Press by Basil Blackwell, 1929. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. Chesterman, Hugh; Gaskin, Joscelyn V.; Lamb, Lynton H.. One of 375 copies, eight volumes (complete), quarto size, 1886 total pp. This eight-volume set comprises much of Geoffrey Chaucer's (ca. 1343-1400) significant work, including "The Canterbury Tales", "Boecii de Consolacione Philosophie", "The Romaunt of the Rose", "Troilus and Criseyde", as well as a myriad of his minor poems. The text used was that "prepared under the editorship of Dr. A.W. Pollard for the Globe edition since revised by him". Alfred William Pollard (1859-1944) was a widely known scholar, who, in addition to Chaucer, edited Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur" amongst many other works.

The Shakespeare Head Press brings the full force of its talents to the design of these books, with titles, initials and paragraph marks in blue and red, drawn by Joscelyn V. Gaskin, in each volume. Volumes I, II, III and the beginning of Volume IV (all of the Tales of Canterbury) are also graced with hand-coloured, full-colour marginal drawings reproduced by Hugh Chesterman from the fourteenth-century Ellesmere manuscript of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales"; Volume V, "Boece" contains chapter headpieces drawn by Lynton H. Lamb from woodcuts in a copy printed in Lyons ca. 1508-1525, and several other volumes contained absolutely stunning colour illustrations.

This set fresh and clean, several volumes with many signatures remaining unopened - a gorgeous presentation from an important British press.

___DESCRIPTION: Quarter natural linen spine with blue paper boards, white paper spine label with red and black lettering, fore- and bottom edges uncut, title pages in red and black, initial capitals by Joscelyn V. Gaskin in red and blue throughout all volumes; spare spine labels tipped into all volumes at the rear; Caslon Old Face type, Batchelor's Kelmscott handmade paper, quarto size (11.5" by 7.75"), pagination: Volume I: [i-vi] 1-224; Volume II: [i-vi] 1-212 [213]; Volume III: [i-vi] 1-200 [201]; Volume IV: [i-vi] 1-216 [217]; Volume V: [i-vi] 1-177; Volume VI: [i-vi] [1] 2-300 [301]; Volume VII: [i-viii] 1-250; Volume VIII: [i-vi] 1-252 [253], no. 8 of 375 copies (total edition 386).

___CONDITION: Near fine, the bindings strong with square text blocks, solid hinges, the interiors clean and bright and entirely free of foxing, several of the volumes with many signatures unopened; the paper covering the boards slightly dusty with a few very minor, stray marks, the corners lightly bumped and beginning to rub, the uncut edges of the text block dusty, a few guttars just beginning to crack (but the text blocks still firmly bound), the sole prior owner markings we see are on the front pastedown of the first volume with some pencilled notations (prior bookseller notes) and the former owner's last name written discretely at the guttar margin of the front pastedown at the top, in blue ink. Overall a lovely set.

___CITATION: Ransom p. 16.

___POSTAGE: Please note that this is an extremely large and heavy set, and therefore additional postage will apply. We are happy to ship at cost to both domestic and international customers; please inquire for details.

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