Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Tales from Shakespeare by Charles & Mary Lamb
Tales from Shakespeare 
by Charles & Mary Lamb
Being exposed to images of books day in and day out here at AbeBooks means we come to appreciate books not only for their content - the joy of reading and education that books bring us - but also for their value and beauty as objects. Positive response to features about attributes such as beautiful bindings and gilt decoration encourage us to keep admiring and sharing the most aesthetically pleasing books we come across. How has book design changed over the years, decades and centuries? What books are most pleasing to the eye, and why? Our ideas of beauty are highly subjective but one thing is certain - they are constantly changing.

Whether the motifs are Art NouveauArt DecoAvant-Garde or none of the above, book designers have been taking tremendous care with the look and feel of their treasures for a very long time. Different leathers, decorated cloth, gilt, embossing and debossing and so much more - these are the books you place on your bookshelf facing outwards, to admire day after day.

This selection of beautiful books span the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most are surprisingly affordable, and all are an absolute pleasure to behold, perfect for beautifully adorning any bookshelf.
Please note: Quantity on rare books is extremely limited; copies on display, or copies with exact cover pictured, may sell quickly.

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Beautiful Books

The Odyssey of Homer by Alexander Pope
The Odyssey of Homer 
by Alexander Pope
The Heart of Hyacinth by Onoto Watanna
The Heart of Hyacinth 
by Onoto Watanna
Naples Past and Present by Arthur H. Norway
Naples Past and Present
by Arthur H. Norway
Come Unto These Yellow Sands by Margaret L. Woods
Come Unto These Yellow Sands 
by Margaret L. Woods
Jonah by Robert Nathan
Jonah 
by Robert Nathan
The Book of Bugs by Harvey Sutherland
The Book of Bugs 
by Harvey Sutherland
Belle’s Pink Boots by Joanna H. Mathews
Belle’s Pink Boots 
by Joanna H. Mathews
Seas and Lands by sir Edwin Arnold
Seas and Lands 
by sir Edwin Arnold
Holland by Nico and Beatrix Jungman
Holland 
by Nico and Beatrix Jungman
A Lucky Sovereign by M. Harriet Capes
A Lucky Sovereign 
by M. Harriet Capes
The Wisdom of Solomon Illuminated by Samuel Stanesby
The Wisdom of Solomon
Illuminated by Samuel Stanesby
Young Maids & Old China by Francis William Bourdillon
Young Maids & Old China 
by Francis William Bourdillon
Sicily by Alberto Pisa
Sicily
by Alberto Pisa
Arthur O’Shaughnessy by Louise Chandler Moulton
Arthur O’Shaughnessy 
by Louise Chandler Moulton
Hesper by Hamlin Garland
Hesper
by Hamlin Garland
The Banks of the Nile by John A. Todd
The Banks of the Nile
by John A. Todd
The Durbar by Dorothy and Mortimer Menpes
The Durbar 
by Dorothy and Mortimer Menpes
The English Lakes by Wm. T Palmer
The English Lakes 
by Wm. T Palmer
Poppies and Wheat by Louisa May Alcott
Poppies and Wheat 
by Louisa May Alcott
Les Saints Evangiles by Henri Lasserre
Les Saints Evangiles 
by Henri Lasserre

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