Beautiful copy of “Essays” from Ralph Waldo Emerson published by Henry Artemus 1899. Covers show wear and scuffs not much discoloration or fading noted on covers themselves. Gilding on front cover has worn off in spots around edges and there is a spot of damage? Dirt? On top white flower about a 1/2 inch in diameter. There is a much smaller spot on lower pink flower but most of the gilding in the center looks pretty good. On the right edge of the cover is a wrinkle about an inch long. Back cover shows wear and patch of bubbling about 3 inches long along spine please see pics. Corners have moderate wear and top and bottom of edge of spine with some tiny tears started. Lettering has faded or worn off on top and very bottom of spine and some of the details in the flowers as well. Inside covers have printed papers that are decent with only some yellowing. Back inside covers are about the same. There is a split about 2 in long in the back and a couple of the pages near the back have diagonal creases about 3 inches long and 1 has a small tear started about a 1/2 in long and the right page has a thin black line. Spine is broken but no missing or loose pages. One of the pages has 2 tears, 1 about an inch long, 1 about 2 inches long. All pages have yellowed. Overall book is in fair or better condition.