Politics & Poetics (The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written series)

First thus. Stated ‘collector’s edition’.  xvi, 332pp, with portrait frontispiece and 15 further portrait plate illustrations by Leonard Baskin (Baskin was an influential American sculptor, film-maker and graphic artist known for his dark, deeply organic artwork – a style on display in the pen and ink and woodcut portraits contained here).  Bound in full green leather, four raised bands to spine and 22kt gilt stamped lettering and decorations.  All edges gilt.  Silk moire endpapers and ivory-coloured satin ribbon marker bound in.  Smyth-sewn pages with decorative head band.  Printed on archival-quality, acid-free paper which will not tan over time. 4to.  Some tarnishing and loss to gilding on the upper text block edge else the volume is neat, clean, bright and tight throughout.

The Easton Press, founded in 1975 is renowned for publishing fine quality and masterfully crafted, leather bound books, often reissues of historical, canonical and classical literature but it also has original and modern sub-genres in its catalogue. Many of their volumes use elegant, classic typography and vintage or specially commissioned illustrations: all are beautifully designed with stylish exterior and interior detailing.  Its Greatest Books Ever Written series was original planned as 100 volumes but was later extended by a further 25 titles.  It was released to subscribers only.