The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe in Ten Volumes, Illustrated

Akron, Ohio: The Werner Company, 1908. This handsome set of Poe (click on photo) is in Very Good Plus condition. Known as The Library Edition, it is bound in brick red cloth covers with die-stamped gilt spine lettering and top-edge gilt. Shelf rubbing is minimal. It has rough-cut pages, most of which are uncut and unread. Only two volumes of tales and one of poems show page-cutting by the original owner. Several pages in Volume II only have small margin stains. (I should point out that Werner also published a less expensive alternate cloth binding in pale gray that used paper labels and did not have re-enforced bindings or colored endpapers. Although the contents are identical in both editions, the gray binding is far less attractive and the paper labels are inferior to the die-stamped gilt found in this more collectible version.) Each volume contains a frontis and other illustrations, all with tissue guards. There are 36 illustrations in all. This century-old set was manufactured with re-enforced bindings so that they remain tight and secure to this day. The book has red marbelized end papers. Each volume has a striking drawing of a sailing ship bookplate from the original owner, whose name was McCruden, on the front endpaper. Each text page features a lovely Art Nouveau-inspired gray-green border. The contents are as follows: Volumes I-V: Tales; Volume VI: Poems; Volumes VII - IX: Criticisms; Volume X: Miscellany. Each volumes measures 5 3/4 by 8 1/4 inches. Length varies per volume, ranging from around 325 through 380 pages. It's a truly lovely set for the Poe aficionado. NOTE: The price will include domestic Media Mail shipping at the single-book rate. However, international buyers should contact me in advance regarding shipping costs. . Hard Cover. Very Good Plus/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.