Christmas Books by Mrs. Gore, Illustrated by George Cruikshank, Three Volume Set, 1847

Gore, Catherine Grace Frances. The Snow Storm, A Christmas Story. [and] New Year's Day, A Winter Tale. [and] The Inundation; Or Pardon and Peace, A Christmas Story.  London: Fisher, Son & Co., [1847]. Three volumes, 12mo. All volumes illustrated by George Cruikshank. Uniformly bound by Zaehnsdorf Bindery in full red Moroccan leather boards with gilt titles, tooling, and raised band to the spine. Presented with a new archival slipcase with gilt candle stamp.

Presented is a trio of uniformly bound, Victorian Christmas stories from the English novelist Catherine Grace Frances Gore, penned as Mrs. Gore. The set includes three of her most popular seasonal tales, The Snow Storm, A Christmas Story, New Year's Day, A Winter Tale, and The Inundation; Or Pardon and Peace, A Christmas Story. The three books were published in London by Fisher, Son & Co. The books are decorated throughout with color plates and illustrations by celebrated English illustrator George Cruikshank. They were bound by the famous English bindery Zaehnsdorf, in full red Moroccan leather, with gilt paneled boards, gilt titles, intricate tooling, and raised bands to the spine. 

Catherine Grace Frances Gore (1799-1861) was an English novelist and dramatist. In 1824, she published her first work, Theresa Marchmont, or the Maid of Honour. Every succeeding year saw several volumes from her pen. She also wrote plays, of which the most successful was the School for Coquettes, produced at the Haymarket (1831). She was a woman of versatile talent, and set to music Burns's "And ye shall walk in silk attire," one of the most popular songs of her day. Her extraordinary literary industry is proved by the existence of more than seventy distinct works. The most celebrated of her novels are Cecil, or the Adventures of a Coxcomb, Pin Money and The Banker's Wife. 

Mrs. Gore's books give vivid sketches of London fashionable life and are full of happy epigrammatic touches and clever studies of character. Mrs Gore's novels had an immense popularity in her day. To present-day readers, they present faithful pictures of the contemporary life and pursuits of the English upper classes.

George Cruikshank (1792-1878) was an English caricaturist and book illustrator. Born in London to Isaac Cruikshank, one of the leading English caricaturists of the 1790s, George received his early training as his father’s apprentice and assistant. Early in his career, Cruikshank became well known for his satirical prints that caricatured both the English royal family and Napoleon Bonaparte. He was a contributor to the humor publication The Comic Magazine or Hudibrastic Mirror. He also worked with publishers to produce volumes of his own caricatures, including The Comic Almanac (1835-1853) and Cruikshank Omnibus (1842). 

At the same time, Cruikshank pursued a career as a book illustrator, becoming one of the main illustrators of the works of Charles Dickens and of William Harrison Ainsworth. In the late 1840s, Cruikshank became a staunch advocate of the temperance movement and produced two of his best-known works, The Bottle (1847) and The Drunkard’s Children (1848).

CONDITION:

All books uniformly bound in full red Moroccan leather boards with gilt titles, tooling, and raised band to the spine. Marbled endpapers with gilt dentelle. Binding by Zaehnsdorf Bindery, as indicated by stamped name on inside of boards. Previous owner’s bookplate present. Original gilt cloth covers and spine bound-in at rear. Presented with a new archival slipcase with gilt candle stamp.

Pages are healthy, with minimal toning and only light, occasional staining. Ex-Libris blind stamp on title pages. The Snow Storm, A Christmas Story. 12mo. 253pp. 4 plates including frontispiece. New Year's Day, A Winter Tale. 12mo. 203pp, 8 pages of advertisements at rear. The Inundation; Or Pardon and Peace, A Christmas Story.  12mo.  222pp. 16 pages of advertisements at rear. 4 plates including frontispiece.

Book Dimensions: 6 1/2" H x 4 3/8" W x 3/4" D

With Slipcase: 7" H x 4 5/8" W x 2 3/4" D