A very nice 2-volume antiquarian set of the first illustrated edition of Charles Baudelaire's translation of the 'Extraordinary Stories' of the American writer, poet and critic Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849). The noted French poet, essayist and translator Baudelaire (1821 - 1867) played a key part in Poe's works becoming so popular across Europe.
'Histoires Extraordinaires [&] Nouvelles Histoires Extraordinaires ' published by A Quantin in Paris in 1884, 2 volume set, 1st edition thus as the first illustrated edition of Baudelaire's translations (they were first published in France in 1856 and 1857), both vols standard 8vo (9in x 6in). Volume 1 = [x] + (xxxi) + 383 pages + [v]. Volume 2 = [xii] + (xix) + 411 pages + [vii]. Each volume has 13 engraved plates by Herpin, Férat, Wogel and others.
Original half dark-brown crushed morocco with gilt edging over marbled paper boards, each volume bound in the same way, titled in gilt to the spine, 5 raised bands to the spine. The books were bound by the esteemed 19th Century Parisian bookbinder J Foulquier, with his small name stamp at the top edge of the first blank page in each volume.
In overall very good condition externally, top edge gilt, general shelfwear, rubbing to edges and corners, remains a very presentable set of bindings.
Internally in very good overall condition, no inscriptions or annotations save for a couple of old dealer pencil notes at blanks. Hinges are solid and secure, the books are tightly and squarely bound. Marbled endpapers. 13 engraved plates in each volume are all present with tissue guards. Sporadic light spotting, mainly to the reverse (blank) of the plates, the tissue guards or the plates - the vast majority of the pages are clean and tidy. The Nouvelles volume has some brown staining to the bottom of the half-title, title and handful of surrounding pages.
This set contains all of Poe's most popular and important short stories, including 'The Golden Bug ', 'The Black Cat ', 'The Fall of the House of Usher ', 'The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion ' and 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue '.
** An uncommon pair of books in very nice condition, which would make a welcome addition to any booklover's shelf. **
** The books weigh 2.45kg before being securely packed **
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