1887 Frank Buckland Biography Full Leather

This 1887 edition of Life of Frank Buckland captures one of Victorian England’s most colorful naturalists in a handsome full leather binding. Written by his brother-in-law George C. Bompas and published by Smith, Elder, & Co. in London, it follows Buckland’s life from childhood through his work in natural history, public science, and fisheries. For collectors drawn to Victorian science, biography, and natural history, Buckland remains an especially interesting figure because he helped bring zoology and field observation to a broad reading public.

This copy has strong shelf presence, with an ornate gilt-decorated spine, gilt-ruled covers, marbled endpapers, and marbled edges. The engraved portrait frontispiece is present, and there is also a period inscription dated 1887. It is a solid decorative and collectible late Victorian volume that works well for buyers interested in natural history, scientific biography, or finely bound 19th century books.

[d]Author | George C. Bompas [d]Title | Life of Frank Buckland [d]Publisher | Smith, Elder, & Co. [d]Date | 1887 (New Edition) [d]Binding | Full leather [d]Illustration | Engraved portrait frontispiece [d]Dimensions | 7.5 in H x 5.25 in W x 1.5 in D [d]Origin | London, England [d]Edition | New Edition [d]Inscription | Period inscription present, dated March 1887

[condition] The leather shows honest wear throughout: rubbing and scuffing across the boards, edge wear, corner wear, and wear at the spine ends consistent with a well-handled copy of this age. The covers carry the marks of a long life on shelves and in hands, which is to say they look like what they are. The portrait frontispiece is present and intact. Light foxing appears in places, as shown in the photographs, typical for a Victorian book of this binding and period. The text block is sound. Overall this is a well-preserved antique copy with strong decorative presence and an appealing, authentic patina.