2 volume set of The Works of Charles Lever Vol 1 and 2 1882 P F Collier Publisher both are in good vintage condition. May have a few loose pages ixx U
Title: The Works of Charles Lever (Complete 2-Volume Set)
Author: Charles Lever
Publisher: P.F. Collier, New York
Date/Edition: 1882 First Collier Edition / Early Printing
Format: Massive, Heavy Uniform Quarto (4to) Hardcovers. Typically bound in deeply blind-stamped, decorative green or brown Victorian cloth with bright gold gilt spine titles and full-page woodcut illustrations.
Detailed Description
This listing features the complete two-volume library of The Works of Charles Lever, published in 1882 by the legendary New York publisher P.F. Collier. Charles Lever was one of the most wildly popular Irish novelists of the 19th century, celebrated for his high-spirited, humorous, and episodic tales of military life, historical romance, and rakish Irish society—frequently compared to the early works of his contemporary, Charles Dickens.
This massive uniform set packs Lever’s absolute finest, unabridged masterworks into two heavy, triple-column volumes, including:
Harry Lorrequer & Charles O'Malley, the Irish Dragoon (His legendary, fast-paced Napoleonic military adventures)
Tom Burke of "Ours", Jack Hinton, and more.
Featuring striking full-page Victorian woodcut illustrations, this 1882 printing showcases an ornate, deeply textured antique cover design that gives it a commanding, highly intellectual presence on any bookshelf. It is an excellent find for collectors of Irish literature, historical military fiction, or dramatic Victorian decorative bindings.
Condition Report
Overall Condition: Good vintage condition. A highly authentic, structurally honest 140+ year-old set.
Exteriors: The original cloth bindings show handsome Victorian library character. Expect typical shelf wear, corner rubbing, minor fraying at the spine tips, and standard surface aging to the cloth, but the gold gilt lettering remains clear and recognizable.
Bindings & Text Blocks: Both volumes are physically complete and retain a solid shelf profile.
Notable Defects: Consistent with heavy, large-format Collier editions of this generation, there may be a few loose interior pages detached from the spine webbing, generally occurring near the front hinges or illustration plates. The remaining text blocks remain bound but should be handled with standard vintage care.
Interiors: The text remains completely flat, clear, and highly readable. Pages show natural, uniform background age-toning and standard light foxing common to 1880s paper stock, but free from heavy modern ink marks or severe staining.