THE AUTOCRAT OF THE BREAKFAST-TABLE; By Oliver Wendell Holmes / With Illustrations by HOWARD PYLE
by Holmes, Sr., Oliver Wendell
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Fine/Mylar-added
- Seller
-
Lake Forest, Illinois, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin and Company / The Riverside Press, 1893. First Edition Thus Illustrated. Decorated & gilt-stamped cloth. Fine/Mylar-added. Howard Pyle. 2 Volumes, small 8vos (8" x 5 1/4"), original brown publisher's brown decorative cloth with gold lettering and bands on spine leading into 3 fleurs-de-lis on front cover with fancy title, each vol. illustrated with 13 B&W photogravure portraits of OWH (2 being frontispieces) and 43 B&W plates (with tissue guards & titles) by HOWARD PYLE [20 in Vol. I) & 23 in Vol. II, plus head-&-tail pieces; & in-text illustrations; t.e.g. [top edges gilt], black-coated endpapers; 474 pages overall. Weight: 2 lbs. 9 oz. Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809 - 1894) was an American physician, poet, and polymath based in Boston. A member of the Fireside Poets, he was acclaimed by his peers as one of the best writers of the day. His most famous prose works are the "Breakfast-Table" series, which began with The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table (1858).<br /> <br /> Howard Pyle (1853 - 1911) was a prominent American illustrator and author, primarily and continuously admired for his splendid illustrations of books for young people.<br /> <br /> In 1830, while attending the city's medical college, Holmes wrote two essays detailing life at his boardinghouse. They were published under the title "The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table" in November 1831 and February 1832 in the New England Magazine.<br /> <br /> The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table (1858) is a collection of Holmes' essays originally published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1857 and 1858 before being collected in book form. <br /> <br /> The essays take the form of a chiefly one-sided dialogue between the unnamed Author and the other residents of a <br /> New England boarding house who are known only by their profession, location at the table or other defining characteristics. The topics discussed range from the unexpected benefits of old age to the finest place to site a dwelling and comments on the nature of conversation itself. The tone of the book is distinctly Yankee and takes a seriocomic approach to the subject matter.<br /> <br /> Each essay typically ends with a poem on the theme of the essay. There are also poems ostensibly written by the fictional disputants scattered throughout.<br /> <br /> FINE SET of this classic of 19th century American literature: tight and clean with very light age-toning. Clean plates. Tissue guards present. Barely any rubbing to the cloth. Bright gilt. Previous owner's bold name on front endpaper of vol. 1. No annotations or marks by previous owners within these handsome illustrated highly "giftable" volumes.<br /> <br /> BAL 8781 (Binding A). Merle Johnson, High Spots of American Literature.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Borg Antiquarian (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 8280
- Title
- THE AUTOCRAT OF THE BREAKFAST-TABLE; By Oliver Wendell Holmes / With Illustrations by HOWARD PYLE
- Author
- Holmes, Sr., Oliver Wendell
- Illustrator
- Howard Pyle
- Format/Binding
- Decorated & gilt-stamped cloth
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Mylar-added
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition Thus Illustrated
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin and Company / The Riverside Press
- Place of Publication
- Boston and New York
- Date Published
- 1893
- Keywords
- Boston, Brahmin, physician, essays, illustrated, engravings, Fireside Poets, boarding house, amusing
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Borg Antiquarian
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Borg Antiquarian
Biblio member since 2015
Lake Forest, Illinois
About Borg Antiquarian
BorgAntiquarian (ABAA & ILAB) is a dealer long engaged in selling exceptional collectibles: rare and fine books, autographs and manuscripts, fine art and artifacts. We are generalists in Americana, English & American literature, plus selected authors & important figures (Dickens & Darwin; presidents & 'signers'; scientists & historical figures; Revolutionary & Civil War militaria).
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- BAL
- Bibliography of American Literature (commonly abbreviated as BAL in descriptions) is the quintessential reference work for any...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.