Description
Offered here is a rare and exceptional copy of The Five Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World, Volume III by George Rawlinson, M.A., published in 1871 by John Murray, London. This is the Second Edition of Rawlinson’s influential historical work, covering the great monarchies of the ancient Near East-including Babylon, Assyria, and Persia.
What makes this copy truly rare and collectible is its fine full leather binding by Zaehnsdorf, one of the most prestigious bookbinding firms of the 19th century. The binding was specially commissioned for A.C. McClurg & Co., the renowned Chicago bookseller and publisher known for importing luxury-bound British books for American collectors. The volume features:
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Full polished calf leather binding
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Raised bands and richly gilt spine compartments
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Gilt borders to boards and inner dentelles
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Marbled endpapers and top edge gilt
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Zaehnsdorf gilt stamp inside front board
This copy also carries the armorial bookplate of Alfred Henry Mulliken, a prominent American industrialist, financier, and book collector. Mulliken’s ownership adds historical provenance and prestige.
Condition: The binding is sound and visually striking, though there are chips at the spine ends and joints, and the boards are slightly splayed. Internally, the pages are clean and complete, with illustrations and maps intact unless otherwise noted.
This volume stands at the intersection of Victorian scholarship, luxury bookmaking, and American bibliophilic history. A highly desirable item for collectors of fine bindings, antiquarian history, and provenance-rich volumes.
Ships with care and full tracking.
