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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. by Lewis CARROLL

Creator: Lewis Carroll
Offered by: Shapero Gallery

Description
CARROLL, Lewis [pseud. DODGSON, Charles Lutwidge]; TENNIEL, John (illustrator).

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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Stock Code 110461
London, Macmillan & Company, 1868

Current price$47,601.00
Stunning double Cosway binding with miniatures by C.B. Currie. A lavish Cosway binding (probably circa 1910-1913), with miniatures by Miss C.B. Currie after Tenniel's illustrations; the front doublure is stamped in gilt 'Miniatures by C.B. Currie'. The scenes depicted are Alice with flamingo/croquet mallet and the Duchess on the front cover; and Alice and the Dodo on the rear.

At the beginning of the 20th century John Harrison Stonehouse, managing director of Henry Sotheran Booksellers, began to commission these distinctive fine bindings by Rivière and Son, featuring inset miniatures by his in-house miniaturist, Miss Currie. Many of her excellent miniatures imitated the style of the earlier painter Richard Cosway, hence the term Cosway binding. Over nearly 40 years she produced miniatures for over 900 bindings. Examples from other binderies, featuring miniatures by other artists, are referred to as Cosway-style bindings; they are far more common, and far less desirable.

This copy has 'Bound by Rivière & Son' stamped in gilt near the bottom edge of the inside front cover; the rear doublure is stamped in gilt within a small decorative frame 'Bound by Rivière & Son, from designs by J.H. Stonehouse'; and 'H. Sotheran & Co., 45 Piccadilly, London' is stamped in gilt near the bottom edge of the inside rear cover. An exceptional survivor from the golden era of book-binding.

Early edition (twelfth thousand) 8vo (190 x 135 mm); half-title, 42 woodcut illustrations (including frontispiece), the odd, minor spot, otherwise internally near-fine, original cloth covers and spine bound in at end, magnificent double Cosway binding of burgundy morocco by Riviere & Son, each cover with a central inset circular miniature under glass by Miss C.B. Currie, gilt fillets radiating to ornate hand-tooled foliate frames with gilt-decorated green morocco onlays in corners and centres, later finely rebacked to match by Bayntun (who acquired the Riviere stock of binding tools in 1939), with spine gilt in compartments with 5 raised bands and 4 green morocco matching onlays, dark green watered silk doublures within only slightly less ornate frames on pastedowns, all edges gilt, preserved in modern suede-lined morocco solander box.

More Information

Documentation:	Documented elsewhere (similar item)
Period:	19th Century
Condition:	Good.
Styles / Movements:	Modern
Dealer Reference #:	110461
Incollect Reference #:	679338

Message from Seller:

Shapero Gallery Located in the heart of Mayfair, London, Shapero Gallery specializes in prints and original works on paper, ranging from antique prints to modern pochoir plates and photography. For inquiries, contact us at +44.207.493.0876 or gallery@shapero.com.

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