Finden’s Landscape & Portrait Illustrations, to the Life and Works of Lord Byron. [with] Finden’s Byron Beauties: or, the Principal Characters in Lord Byron’s Poems.

BROCKEDON, W. [Lord George Gordon Noel Byron].

$1,250.00

Item Number: 130405

London: John Murray, 1833-1834; 1836.

First edition in book form of Finden’s celebrated illustrated edition of Byron’s works; uniformly bound with a first edition of Finden’s Byron Beauties. Octavo, four volumes bound in full pebbled calf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, elaborate gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, all edges gilt. Finden’s Landscape & Portrait Illustrations to the Life and Works of Lord Byron is illustrated with 129 engraved plates including illustrated title pages. Finden’s Byron Beauties is illustrated with 39 engraved plates. In very good condition. A unique example of this important set in the Byron canon.

"It was William and Edward Finden's illustrations to Byron that substantially enhanced the status of their work. Following his death in Greece in 1824, their engravings sensitively conveyed to a wide contemporary audience images of Byron's life and work. Finden's Landscape Illustrations to the Life and Works of Byron finally appeared in fourteen monthly parts, with both Murray's and Tilt's names on the paper wrappers, from January 1832. [The Illustrations] created a great sensation, and led to further projects to engrave the life and works of other poets" (ODNB).