Four slim antique books in worn red bindings — shabby, characterful, and completely at home together on a shelf. This is the kind of set that decorators and collectors both stop for: the battered red cloth, the honest patina of books ranging from 100 to 120 years old, and four titles that could not be more different from one another and yet look exactly right as a group.
The literary range is extraordinary. "Good Morning" by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ford (1926) is the wild card anchor — a rare and fascinating piece of Fordiana in which Henry and Clara Ford write about old-fashioned dancing and American folk social culture, a reflection of the Fords' passionate interest in traditional square dancing. What I Believe by Bertrand Russell (1926) is a classic essay by the Nobel Prize-winning philosopher on his ethical and philosophical convictions — highly collectible. Elia by Charles Lamb (1902) is a 120+ year old antique edition of one of the most beloved collections of personal essays in English literature. And The Ne'er-Do-Much by Eleanor Hallowell Abbott (1918) rounds out the set with early 20th century American fiction.
All four are antique condition with hardcover discoloration and wear throughout — the honest shabby character of books that have lived long lives. Dimensions are compact and similar across all four volumes. Ships from Altadena, CA.
