Diamond British Poets. -Diamond Classics.
London: Jones & Co., 1824-1835.
51 volumes. 48mo [9,5×5,7cm]. Uniformly bound in red patterned silk, black and navy blue morocco title labels. All edges gilt.
Original thin morocco covered wood folding case with four shelves. ”Jones’ Diamond Poets & Classics» in gilt to top of shelves when opening. Glass-fronted doors.
The silk flaking to spine on some volumes (see photo). Many volumes in near fine to very fine condition. All volumes tight with mint interior. Engraved frontispieces with tissue guards.
The folding case with older repair to outer hinges, fully functioning. Older reinforcement to interior glass frame. Some wear to surface of leather, but still very little loss for this fragile construction. One back panel with vertical crack, though still absolutely tight.
An early example of publisher’s bindings using cloth. The less durable materials silk and satin was introduced in larger scale on publisher’s bindings in the early 1820’s. This was more or less replaced by the much stronger cotton cloth from 1825.
As for quality, a far better set than what normally appears on the market.
Editions vary on these Diamond-miniatures, therefore all dates are mentioned below:
1824 – Samuel Butler: «Hudibras, a Poem»
1825 – John Dryden: «The Poetical Works» Vol I.
1825 – John Dryden: «The Poetical Works» Vol II.
1825 – James Grahame: ‹The Sabbath […]»
1825 – Matthew Prior: «The Poetical Works» Vol. I.
1825 – Matthew Prior: «The Poetical Works» Vol. II.
1825 – «The works of Virgil» [2 vol. in one]
1826 – Lord Lyttleton: «The Poetical Works»
1826 – William Somervile: «The Chase»
1826 – Edward Young: «The complaint or night thoughts»
1827 – Robert Bloomfield: «The Farmer’s Boy»
1827 – David Lester Richardson: «Sonnets and other Poems»
1827 – Charlotte Smith: «Elegiac Sonnets»
1828 – «Gifford’s David & Mæviad […].
1828 – Horace Walpole: «The Castle of Otranto […]
1830: William Hayley: «The Trriumphs of Temper»1830 – Alexander Pope: «The Poetical Works» Vol. I.
1830 – Alexander Pope: «The Poetical Works» Vol. II.
1830 – Jonathan Swift: «Gulliver’s Travels» [2 vol. in one]
1830 – Horæ Lyricæ: «Poems chiefly of the lyric kind»
1831 – «The Orations of Demosthenes» Vol. I.
1831 – «The Orations of Demosthenes» Vol. II.
1831 – Mark Akenside: «The Poetical Works»
1831 – William Collins: «The Poetical Works»
1831 – John Gay: «Fables and other Poems»
1831 – William Mason: «The English Garden»
1832 – Francis Bacon: «Essys, Moral, Economical and Political»
1832 – George Canning: «The Poetical Works»
1832 – William Cowper: «Poems» Vol. I.
1832 – William Cowper: «Poems» Vol. II.
1832 – Oliver Goldsmith: «The Poetical Works»
1832 – Thomas Gray: «The Poetical Works»
1832 – John Langhorne: «Theodosius and Constantia»
1832 – Hannah More: Sacred Dramas»
1832 – Saint-Pierre: «Paul and Virginia and the Indian Cottage»
1833 – William Burns: «Poetical Works» Vol II.
1833 – George Crabbe: «The Village […]»
1833 – W. Dodd: «The Beauties of Shakespeare»
1833 – Oliver Goldsmith: «The Vicar of Wakefield»
1833 – William Shenstone: «The Poetical Works»
1833 – Laurence Sterne: «A Sentimental Journey»
1833 – William Burns: «Poetical Works» Vol I [!].
1834 – [Goethe]: «The Sorrows of Werter»
1834 – John Milton: «Paradise Regained»
1834 – «The Poetical remains of Henry Kirke White»
1834 – «The remains of Henry Kirke White»
1835 – James Beattie: «The Minstrel […]»
1835 – Madame Cotton: «Elizabeth; or the Exiles of Siberia […]»
1835 – William Falconer: «The Shipwreck»
1835 – Samuel Johnson: «Rasselas: A Tale»
1835 – James Thomson: «The Seasons»