A Regency Sammelband of Byron’s Poetry, in a Fine Contemporary Purple Morocco Binding. Includes 1st edition of "Poems"

Here’s a beautiful purple morocco Regency sammelband of Lord Byron’s poetry, dating from 1819.

The contemporary binding is in full purple morocco, with elaborate gilt and blind tooling, centred on a classical Greek lyre surrounded by a laurel wreath.

The sammelband contains four collections of Byron’s poetry, including later editions of The Corsair, The Giaour, and the lament of Tasso, and the 1816 first edition of his Poems.

The latter includes one of his better-known works, Fare Thee Well!, written in March 1816 following the spectacular breakdown of his marriage to Lady Byron.

Byron was deeply in debt, his marriage was increasingly unhappy, and rumours concerning his unusually close relationship with his half-sister were circulating. In January 1816, Lady Byron left him, taking their newborn daughter Ada [Lovelace] with her.

Byron responded with Fare Thee Well!, a deeply emotional poem portraying himself as the heartbroken and abandoned husband. Its publication caused a sensation, although not everyone was sympathetic to his version of events!

The scandal contributed to Byron’s decision to leave England in April 1816. He never returned, spending the remainder of his life in continental Europe before dying in Greece in 1824, aged just 36.

Near fine condition. One quire loosening (of Fare Thee well). Small loss to rear board.

Particulars:

A Regency Sammelband of Byron’s Poetry, in a Fine Contemporary Purple Morocco Binding. Includes 1st edition of "Poems"

-London: John Murray, 1816–1819.

-Octavo

-Four of Byron's works bound together in a beautiful contemporary full purple morocco binding, with elaborate gilt tooling and blind-stamped decoration.

-Covers with delicate gilt floral borders and cornerpieces, enclosing a central gilt lyre within a laurel wreath. Decorative blind-tooled outer borders, gilt-ruled spine with repeated lyre ornaments and gilt-lettered title.

-Small loss on rear board. One quire loosening (of the poem Fair thee well. Otherwise very good condition.

-With the bookplate of John Augustus Knipe. Binding un-named but hand written note dated 1819 to flyleaf.

The work contains for following 4 works

-Poems by Lord Byron (1816). First edition. Including Fare Thee Well, written during the scandal surrounding Byron’s separation from his wife, Lady Byron. Title bound at start, with the text of the poems bound after the three other works

-The Corsair, A Tale. Ninth edition.

-The Giaour, A Fragment of a Turkish Tale. Fourteenth edition.

-The Lament of Tasso. Sixth edition.