WHITTIER, John G[reenleaf]. MAUD MULLER. Ticknor & Fields, Boston. 1867. 1st edition, hb leather, slim 8vo, pp. v, 12. Bound in full brown morocco on deeply embossed thick beveled boards. Spine in compartments with delicate gilt lettering. Rolled dentilled edges. Marbled endpapers. All edges gilt. Printed on exceptionally heavy card paper on recto only. With twelve engravings by W. J. Hennessey (various engravers). Copyright page shows the book was entered for publication in 1866, but title page shows publication year as 1867. This is an extraordinary binding and was most likely commissioned by the publisher for presentation purposes.

Whittier (1807-1892) was born into a Quaker family in Massachusetts and was a noted poet and abolitionist. He became involved in the anti-slavery cause and was elected to the state legislature in 1835.

After the Civil War, he wrote increasingly of New England and its countryside and produced some of his best work, including this poem (cf. Cambridge Guide to English Literature). There is just the slightest rubbing to the crown of the spine and several of the raised bands, as well as the corners. The eps have split but the joints are still tight  and the defect is hardly noticeable, save at the bottom of the ffep, which is beginning to detach. On the blank page preceding the title page, there is an ink inscription: "Nellie Gifford from Killy [?]. Dec. 30,1872." There is a bit of foxing to the verso of some of the pages and an occasional light finger smudge. Otherwise, the pages are clean and quite bright. Overall, an unusual binding in very good condition.

Price: $250