Description
A handsome 1889 Pollard & Moss edition of Washington Irving’s The Alhambra: A Series of Tales and Sketches of the Moors and Spaniards, published in New York during the height of the Victorian decorative-binding era.
This antique hardcover is distinguished by its elaborate original brown cloth binding, densely decorated with black-stamped arabesque foliage and architectural imagery inspired by the Alhambra palace in Granada. The coordinating spine retains its ornamental design, publisher’s name, and gilt title lettering.
This particular Pollard & Moss cover design appears to be genuinely uncommon. We were unable to locate another photographed example with the same front-cover and spine decoration, giving the book additional appeal to collectors of unusual nineteenth-century publisher bindings.
Notable features include:
* Dated 1889 on the title page
* Published in New York by Pollard & Moss
* Original Victorian decorative cloth binding
* Elaborate black-stamped Moorish-inspired cover design
* Coordinating decorated spine with gilt lettering
* Uncommon cover treatment not readily found among comparable editions
* Printed dedication to Scottish painter and Royal Academician David Wilkie
* Classic work by the author of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
* Desirable subject matter involving Spanish history, Moorish legends, folklore, and travel
The book displays well with strong, clearly defined cover decoration. It shows age-appropriate rubbing and wear to the cloth, spine ends, and corners, along with toned pages, occasional spotting, a small title-page edge tear, and an old penciled “No. 80” notation on the front endpaper. The notation appears to be a former collection or inventory number rather than a limited-edition designation.
A distinctive nineteenth-century edition with strong decorative appeal and an unusually difficult-to-find binding. Please view all the photos carefully for the most complete understanding of the book’s contents and condition.
