A VERY FINE COPY, xxv, [i], 217, [1] pp. Translated out of the original Greek, with notes, by Méric Casaubon, and edited, with an Introduction, Appendix, and Glossary, by W. H. Rouse, 6 plates depicting Roman sculptures of Marcus Aurelius, all but the first with tissue guards, ENCHANTING HUNTER-GREEN MOROCCO, GILT, BY THE GUILD OF WOMEN BINDERS (stamp-signed “BK” [or “KB”] on rear turn-in) covers with wide gilttooled frame of interlocking strapwork heart shapes on a stippled background, flat spine with similar tooling and with gilt titling in an elongated panel, very wide inner dentelles framed in gilt and with heart-shaped cornerpieces, vellum doublures and rear endleaf (lacking front endleaf), top edge gilt. Preserved in a felt-lined clamshell box. clean and smooth internally, and in an unworn, lustrous binding. 4to (210 x 140mm), London: J. M. Dent & Co., 1900.
This is a very appealing example of the work produced by the Guild of Women Binders. A pencilled note on the front flyleaf tells us that the present binding was “forwarded by . . . Florence Catherine Moore,” who is listed by Tidcombe as a forwarder for the Guild in 1901. Additional pencilled notes on the recto of the rear endpaper contain the initials “CK” as well as a reference to “Mrs. Knight,” possibly referring to Guild binders Constance Karslake (daughter of Frank) and Mrs. Frances Knight. We have been unable to trace the monogram on the rear board; no one with the initials “K B” or “B K” appears on Tidcombe’s list of Guild associates. The text here is 17th century scholar Méric Casaubon’s enduring translation of the Stoic philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius.
