A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy (Penguin Illustrated Classics)

xi, [2],13-182pp, with 8pp illustrated publishers catalogue at rear. With woodcut illustrations by Gwendolen Raverat, under the design direction of Robert Gibbings. Stiff card, illustrated covers. Internally neat and clean, with some toning to page edges. In its original dust jacket (a little rubbed at edges and perhaps a tad toned). Approximately 7 inches tall. All ten Penguin Illustrated Classics – which are listed on the back of this book – were published on the same day in May 1938, the series being a prototype for the famed Penguin Classics, which came nearly a decade later. In selecting out of copyright works, Allen Lane could allocate the cost of royalties to the illustrators, who all used woodcut printing. The series, though, didn’t do well. Looming war turned interest towards more practical information such as guides and specials. The ambition of the illustrations failed too, because of cheapness of the paper used. The series was discontinued, making this one of the most difficult sets to complete in quality condition.