Evelina or The History of a Young Lady's Entrance Into the World. [Fore-edge Painting].

BURNEY, Fanny [Frances] .

Evelina or The History of a Young Lady's Entrance Into the World. [Fore-edge Painting].

London: Macmillan & Co Limited , 1925.

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Out of Stock Item Number: RRB-135227

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Fanny Burney's Evelina; finely bound with a fore-edge painting

Finely bound example of Burney's classic work, decorated with a fore-edge painting of a lady's portrait. Octavo, bound in full polished calf with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling to the front and rear endpapers, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Illustrated by Hugh Thompson. Decorated with a fore-edge painting of a portrait of a lady. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom cloth slipcase.

The first known example of a disappearing fore-edge painting (where the painting is not visible when the book is closed) dates back to 1649. Around 1750, the subject matter of fore-edge paintings changed from simply decorative or heraldic designs to landscapes, portraits and religious scenes, usually painted in full color. The technique was popularized in the 18th century by John Brindley (1732-1756), publisher and bookbinder to the Prince of Wales and Edwards of Halifax, a distinguished family of bookbinders and booksellers. The majority of extant examples of fore-edge paintings date to the late 19th and early 20th century on reproductions of books originally published in the early 19th century, including the present volume.