The Confessions of Saint Augustine

312pp, with six full page, two-tone illustrations. Quarter bound in blue leather over blue cloth boards with extensive gilt decorations, two raised bands on spine, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, coloured head and tail bands, satin ribbon marker bound in. In as new condition throughout. 8vo. A truly handsome volume. The Franklin Library designed and bound books with unsurpassed skill in achieving a premium-quality product: each is ‘a wonder’, in the finest traditions of bookbinding. [ The Franklin Library, before its demise in 2000, produced books to various different standards in various different series: it can be hard, for instance, to distinguish between its genuine leather and faux-leather bindings, and some volumes came with silk moire endpapers rather than paper. We see many dealers’ listings giving incorrect or ambiguous information (or none), so advise Franklin Library collectors to take care. There’s a guide to Franklin Library editions and their identification on our blog.]

Raphael, Elaine; Bolognese, Don

Beautiful Books, Franklin Library, Classic literature,