The Frogs by Aristophanes, Signed Custom Harcourt Binding

Binding Details:  Signed custom binding by the Harcourt Bindery, Charlestown, Massachusetts bound in three-quarter morocco leather over complimentary cloth covered boards with raised bands to the spine, gilt titles and decorative ruling, and decorative gold gilt motifs. Single gilt lines to the boards and corners. There are hand-sewn silk endbands, marbled endpapers, with the top page edges gold gilted. The Harcourt Bindery label appears on the bottom of the last free endpaper.

Book Details:  Originally performed at the Lenaia, one of the Festivals of Dionysus in Athens in 405 BC, this is the Heritage Press edition published in 1959 that was translated from the Greek by William James Hickie and features the wood-engraved illustrations of John Austen. The Frogs is one of Aristophanes's greatest comedies and is justly celebrated for its wit and keen commentary on Athenian politics and society. It is the last surviving work of Old Comedy and is also notable for heralding a passing era of literature. While it is a comedy, it is also a trenchant political satire and expresses Aristophanes's views on Athenian democracy and the value of poetry.

Measures approximately 10.5” x 7.5” with 62 pages as well as an introduction by Gilbert Seldes and a list of characters in the play.

Condition Report: The binding is in Near FINE condition with some sunning to the spine. Internally, the book is very clean with no signs of previous ownership. Overall, this is a beautiful binding that houses one of the great works of literature.

A photograph of the binding appears in the photo section of the listing.