Author: Richard Garnett (Ed.), Léon Vallée (ED.), Alois Brandl (Ed.)
Title: The Book of Literature (20 Volumes in 10 books)
Publisher: The Grolier Society, London & Toronto (1923)
Year: 1923
Format Hardcover
Condition: Excellent
Weight: 9.367 kg
Dimensions (each volume): 16 × 23.3 × 3 cm
Overall excellent for age. Bindings tight and pages clean, with no interior markings. Five volumes show minor shelf-base stains (likely from an old spill), but text and illustrations remain unaffected. Each volume includes selected illustrations and well-printed text on quality paper.
First published by The Grolier Society (London, Toronto) in 1899, this 1923 edition represents one of the finest continental printings, also translated into French, German, and Italian. The series aimed to present a comprehensive anthology of world literature — poetry, prose, drama, and essays — edited with scholarly care and aesthetic refinement.
A remarkable 10-book set (containing 20 volumes, two per book) from The Book of Literature series, published by The Grolier Society in 1923. This partial set — Volumes 5–6, 9–10, 11–12, 15–16, 17–18, 19–20, 21–22, 23–24, 29–30, and 33 (Index) — is an exceptional survivor from the early twentieth century.
Beautifully produced in the Art Nouveau style, these volumes reflect the aesthetic spirit of the 1920s with embossed gilt lettering, ornate design motifs, and sturdy cloth bindings. The books are solid, elegant, and a pleasure to handle — a testament to the craftsmanship of the era.
The editorial team included Richard Garnett (Keeper of Books, British Museum), Léon Vallée (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris), and Alois Brandl (University of Berlin), with introductions by R. Bruce Taylor, D.D., LL.D. (Queen’s University) and Pelham Edgar, Ph.D. (University of Toronto).
