Shabby Chic Antique Poetry Book Set Leather Bound Poetical Works Mrs. Browning (1886) & Sentimental Jesus Lover of my Soul (1909)

This is a set of two antique padded cover poetry books - Mrs. Browning's Poems and Jesus Lover of my Soul. Mrs. Browning's poems was published in 1886 by T.Y. Crowell & Co. It features a brown embossed leather cover with raised flowers and the title Mrs. Browning lettered in gold. The book has green floral patterned front and endpapers. There is a portrait of Elizabeth Barrett Browning at the title page which gives the proper title for the book: Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Complete.) The ends of the pages are gilded. Jesus Lover of my Soul is a late Victorian Chromolithograph sentimental book published in 1909 by Cupples & Leon Company. The cover is also padded and features a full color illustration of lily pads and flowers attached to a gold anchor with the title also lettered in gold. It has a lovely early Art Nouveau vibe with every page illustrated or illuminated. Full color illustrations of religious figures are interspersed with full color illustrations of flowers. Jesus Lover of my Soul was first published as a hymn in the early 1700s, but gained popularity with its later renditions in the mid-1800s.

The books are definitely in shabby chic antique condition for their age and use. The leather cover on Mrs. Browning has discoloration, especially along the spine where the book would be held. The leather is torn along the spine with some missing and along the top edge and corners. It is flaking away where it is torn. The covers are still attached but beginning to crack along the top and bottom of the front inside edge and along the back inside edge at the last page of poetry. The page gilding is still shiny. The pages are yellowed. Someone wrote E6 in pencil inside the front cover. Jesus Lover of my Soul has general discoloration all over to the covers with some small holes and tears and small stains. The cover is ripped at the spine top and bottom with portions missing. The edges and corners have wear with the cardboard exposed. "Glen Kirkman Feb 16th 1916 From Mrs. J.R. Steele" is written inside the front cover in ink. The endpapers have some foxing. The covers are attached but cracked at the inside front cover first illustrated page. The pages have yellowed but the illustrations are still print and the gilding on the illustrations is intact.

Mrs. Browning measures 7.25 by 5.25 inches. It is 1.25 inches thick. Jesus Lover of my Soul is 7 x 5.5 inches. It is half an inch thick.

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