St Paul, the Oratorio, The Words Selected from the Holy Scriptures, the English Version Adapted by William Ball. The Music Composed by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, The Piano Forte Accompaniment arranged by The Composer. London: Novello, Ewer & Co, c.1870.
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RARE, WorldCat records just 7 copies held in the UK. They attribute the date of this second edition to between 1867 and 1876.
A beautiful fine binding, bound in full red morocco with excellent gilt, the binding stamped 'Bound by Sizer', a binder we have not previously encountered, but this work is phenomenal. A beautiful large quarto/small folio size antique music book containing the oratorio of St Paul by Mendelssohn, dating from circa 1870.
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Size: 266 x 354 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), engraved title, title, 1ff. (dedication), 171pp., (2)]
Fine full red morocco with excellent gilt tooling, including that of a lyre, bound by "Sizer". No tooled label with the binding not calling for one as each compartment on the spine between raised bands has gilt tooling, leaving no room for a label. Boards with gilt tooled borders and blindstamped borders, as well as a gilt title reading "Mendelssohn, St. Paul" to the front board. Spine shows excellently with very little rubbing, more so to extremities, and with a single mark to the bottom. Both boards securely attached with some rubbing along the joints and minor wear to hinges, the bottom of joint of the front board starting. Boards with some spots of discolouration and few very minor superficial scratches, but still remain attractive. Some rubbing to the rear board with minor loss (see photo). Boards very lightly warped, only noticeable upon very close inspection. Shelf and edge wear, more so to corners which are very lightly turned-in. All page edges gilt with few scratches, as typical. Prize bookplate attached to front pastedown reading "Presented to Mr. William K. Thwaites by the Congregation at St Paul's Chapel Hawley Road, In Memoriam". Bookseller sticker attached to the bottom inner corner of the front pastedown reading "A. H. Jennings Bookseller 556 Streatham High Rd. SW16". "Bound by Sizer" to the top of the verso of the ffep, transferred to the blank opposite. Text block very clean with very light toning and occasional foxing. Some damp staining from the top of the text block, affecting leaves in varying degrees, more so the first few and last few leaves, see photos for examples. Minor loss to the edge leather of the rear pastedown. Overall a beautiful book which is very attractive, especially on the shelf.
[OCLC 46546140, 1114009379].
