288 - SCOTT, Walter. The Waverley Novels.

SCOTT, Walter. The Waverley Novels. A charming illustrated edition of the Waverley Novels series, a great classic of the Victorian era, in beautiful, uniform bindings from the period. Edinburgh, Adam and Charles Black, 1860. 47 in-8 volumes, blue glossy half-calf with a corner edged with cold-stamped lace, spine with guilloché raised bands, compartments adorned with a central fleur-de-lis and corner fleur-de-lis within a double gilt border, title and volume number labels in red morocco, marbled edges, marbled paper linings and endpapers (contemporary binding). Approximately 400 pages per volume, with an engraved frontispiece and title vignette in each volume. In English. Spines very slightly faded, minor scuffing, sporadic foxing. An excellent Scottish edition of the historical novels comprising the Waverley Novels series (including *Waverley*, *Guy Mannering*, *The Antiquary*, *Rob Roy*, *Ivanhoe*, *The Heart of Mid-Lothian*, *Kenilworth*, *Quentin Durward*, *The Talisman*, etc.). It is illustrated with an engraved frontispiece and title vignette in each volume, featuring genre scenes, Scottish landscapes, and portraits. Although these novels were immensely successful and were heavily promoted at the time, Walter Scott did not publicly acknowledge his authorship until 1827. This series influenced generations of writers and earned Scott his reputation as the founder of the historical novel. Volume 1 is missing. Handwritten ink bookplate by J. Cuthbertson (Rochester, 1870) on the white endpapers. A lovely set, very decorative.