The Ingoldsby Legends, 1887, Signed Binding by Relph Brothers, London

Binding Details:  Fine contemporary binding signed by Relph Brothers Limited, London of full calf leather with elaborate gilding to the spine, edges, and covers. The front cover has a gilt stamped crest. The inside covers have gilded dentelles and marbled endpapers and the endpapers have a marbled treatment. The stamp of the binder Relph Brothers appears on the first free endpaper.

Book Details:  The Ingoldsby Legends are a collection of myths, legends, ghost stories and poetry supposedly written by Thomas Ingoldsby of Tappington Manor, actually a pen-name of Richard Harris Barham. The legends were first printed in 1837 as a regular series in Bentley's Miscellany and later in New Monthly Magazine. The legends were illustrated by John Leech and George Cruikshank. They proved immensely popular and were compiled into books published in 1840, 1842, 1847, and 1887 by Richard Bentley. They remained popular through the Victorian era but have since fallen out of fame. As a priest at the Chapel Royal, Barham was not troubled with strenuous duties and he had ample time to read and compose stories. Although based on real legends and mythology, such as the hand of glory, they are usually deliberately humorous parodies or pastiches of medieval folklore and poetry. The best known poem is the Jackdaw of Rheims about a jackdaw who steals a cardinal's ring and is made a saint.

The book measures 8” x 6” with 546 pages and contains an author’s preface as well as 20 wonderful illustrations by Cruikshank and Leech.

Condition Report:  The binding is in Near FINE condition with some generalized wear to the boards and very minor rubs to the spine. Internally the book is very clean with minor foxing to one of the endpapers and the margins of the frontispiece. The binders stamp appears on the bottom of the first free endpaper.

Several photographs of the book, binders stamp, endpapers, as well as illustrations from the books appear in the photo section of the listing.