The Rulers of the South : Sicily, Calabria, Malta ( Complete in 2 Volumes ) ( Full Leather Bindings by Riviere and Sons Bindery, London ) Hardcover - 1900

London / New York: Macmillan and Co., Limited. ** HAND-BOUND IN LEATHER ** 2 VOLUMES COMPLETE ** NOT EX-LIBRARY ** CLEAN, BRIGHT, AND STAIN-FREE ** With 391 and 407 pages. Also with 100 in-text original drawings by Henry Brokman and 31 full-page photographic plates, each under its own captioned tissue guard. With 3 maps, including one that folds out. Exquisitely hand-bound in full brown morocco leather by Riviere and Sons Bindery, London. All exterior page edges are in clean, bright gilt. The spines are divided into 6 compartments by 5 raised bands and lettered in hand-tooled gilt. Marbled endpapers. These are octavo-sized books, but are nevertheless surprisingly heavy, leather bindings are quite weighty. Exceptionally well-preserved. set. One photo plate in Volume II is partially detached and stands a bit proud, but otherwise these books are essentially flawless, showing at most only extremely occasional, very brief, and faint signs of use. They are books are exceptionally clean, bright, and stain-free, square and straight, and remain extremely firm and tight in their bindings. All hinges are sound and completely undamaged, all corners are sharp and unbumped. The text-blocks are unbroken and still snugged tightly to the backstrip. The pages are perfectly clean and all text and illustrations are crisp, sharp, and legible. Previous owner's name, date, and hometown written on the 2nd front blank endpaper in each volume, but there is no other writing, underlining, highlighting or markings of any such kind in either book. Amazingly attractive, uniquely bound, well-conditioned books. Buy with confidence, professional booksellers for 35 years, selling online since 1995. B26. . Fine. Hardcover. First Edition. 1900.