“THE FATHER OF AMERICAN LITERATURE”: LIMITED EDITION OF WASHINGTON IRVING’S WORKS, ILLUSTRATED WITH APPROXIMATELY 450 PLATES

IRVING, Washington. The Writings. New York and London: Charles Putnam's Sons, circa 1900. Forty volumes. Octavo, original navy cloth, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, top edges gilt, uncut. $2800.

Limited “Book-Lover’s New Sunnyside Edition,” number 292 of 600 sets signed by the publishers, generously illustrated with approximately 450 plates.

"Before Emerson and Lowell, [Irving] married American literature to the literature of the world. He has every right to retain the title enthusiastically bestowed upon him, 'Father of American Literature" (Kunitz & Haycraft, 407). Contains all of Irving's classic histories, biographies, travel accounts and tales, including Knickerbocker's History of New York, Life of Washington, Life of Columbus, The Sketch Book and Astoria. Each volume with frontispiece; almost every volume with approximately a dozen plates after illustrations by numerous artists, including Arthur Rackham.

Fine condition.