Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
WILDE, Oscar. a HOUSE of POMEGRANATES *. James R. 0SG00D McILVAINE & C0., London * * * * *, 1891.
Price: US$538.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: B00K: Very G00D/ + $837.90 WILDE, 0scar a H0USE of P0MEGRANATES * C. RICKETTS & C. H. SHANNON, Design & Decoration by. James R.OSGOOD McILVAINE & C0. L0ND0N 1891 There is no limited edition or edition, statement. Wide H/c Brown Top And Balance Of Tan Spine, With Title And Design In Polished Gold Letters, Hard Cover B00K: Very Good/, Slight Shelf, Edge And Corner Wear. Corners Are Square. 157 Numbered Pages Printed On Tan Paper, Browning And Spotting From Aging, In Very Good/Fine/ Condition, Clean And Tight To The Spine, Slight Wear. The Exterior Covering Of The Boards Are Not Decorated. D/j: None. Description Applies To This B0K, Only. This B0k Is Hard To Find, Will Be Packaged And Shipped Carefully, To Avoid Shipping Damage And Will Make It, An Excellent Addition To Your Own Personal Library Collection, Or As A Gift For The Collector / Reader. WORLD WIDE SHIPPING, AVAILABLE.
Seller: L. Michael, North Hollywood, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$747.98 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Octavo. Pp. 158, partially unopened. Cover, title-page, endpapers, and textual ornaments designed by Charles Ricketts, 4 full-page illustrations by Shannon, which, because of the "mysterious and disastrous process by which they were reproduced in Paris" are quite faint. (see Muir "Victorian Illustrated Books" p. 191) Backed in apple-green linen with lettering by Ricketts over beige coloured boards with gilt design of a peacock, fountain, and basket of pomegranates. Covers a bit darkened, corners rubbed, hinges weakened with paper cracked, endpapers slightly darkened, engraved bookplate on the front pastedown with the monogram engraved on the plate of R.E 1899, otherwise interior clean and bright.
Seller: Karol Krysik Books ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA, Toronto, ON, Canada
Price: US$960.65 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: London: James R. Osgood McIlvaine & Co., 1891, First Edition. Hard Cover. C. Ricketts [Designs, Lettering, and Decorated End-Papers]; C. H. Shannon [Illustrations] (illustrator). First Edition. A good copy of the first English hard cover edition, in the publishers original binding, published in London in 1891 by James R. Osgood McIlvaine & Co, with "design & decoration of this book by C. [Charles] Ricketts & by C. H. Shannon." One of 1000 copies printed. Darkened to the originally cream-coloured linen boards, though the gilt designs to the front board "of a peacock, a running fountain, and a basket of split pomegranates" (Mason, p. 364) are nice and bright. Red stamping to front board with title, designs, and Wilde's name remain legible but are faded. Rubbing and wear at the extremities of the boards, especially at the crown and base of the spine and the spine seams. Gently faded gilt lettering on the spine less so at the base. Charles Ricketts's decorated endpapers are browned and tanned with the front end paper detached and chipped at the edges. The binding is loose with splitting of the endpapers. Text is marked in places. As noted in Stuart Mason's [Christopher Millard's] standard bibliography of Oscar Wilde (1914/1967): "There are four full-page illustrations by C. H. Shannon, facing each of which is inserted a blank leaf having on its reverse a small design by C. Ricketts facing the first page of each tale namely, between the last preliminary leaf (p. viii) and the first page of the text; between pp. 26 and 27, 62 and 63, 128 and 129. These four plates were printed in Paris by some 'improved' process. After the book was finished and bound it was noticed that a dusty deposit had formed on each plate, probably owing to some chemical impurity either in the printer's ink or in the chalky paper used. To take off this deposit each plate was rubbed with soft flannel, which removed the surface and left the reproductions faint and in some cases almost obliterated." (Mason, pp. 364-5). Sadly, the "almost obliterated" state of each of the four plates applies to this copy as well. Provenance: no inscriptions or bookplates. Approximately 8 ½ inches tall. Condition Report Externally Spine good condition darkened, gilt titles, minor marks, worn with whitening to the green cloth, slight fraying to the base. Joints good condition intact but loose, worn and rubbed. Corners good condition worn and bumped. Boards good condition darkened, red ink and gilt to the front board. Page edges good condition darkened, shaken. See above and photos. Internally Hinges poor condition broken but holding, strained internally to the gutter. Paste downs good condition illustrated and tanned. End papers poor to good condition front end paper detached, both darkened illustrated. Title page good condition gently tanned. Pages good condition gently tanned, shaken and loose with gaps to the gutter. Binding good condition worn. See photos. Publisher: see above. Publication Date: 1891 Binding: Hardback
Seller: Louis88Books (Members of the PBFA), Andover, United Kingdom
Wilde, Oscar. A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES. James R. Osgood McIlvaine, London, 1891.
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Description: Small quarto. Gilt green cloth backed cream cloth over boards, elaborately decorated in gilt and red. Plates, illustrations and decorated endsheets. Binding a bit darkened, with some pale discolorations at edge, 1895 ownership signature on preliminary blank, corners a trifle worn, the plates by Shannon somewhat faded (as usual) but still legible, a few small nicks and a short tear to the edges of the front free endsheet but a good, sound copy, a few leaves unopened. First edition. Design, illustrations and decorations by C. Ricketts and C. Shannon, with plates by the latter. One of one thousand copies printed. Mason/Millard gives an account of the circumstances which led to the faint state of the Shannon plates. Contains four short stories: "The Young King" (which first appeared in THE LADY'S PICTORIAL, Christmas Number, 1888), "The Birthday of the Infanta" (which first appeared in PARIS ILLUSTRÉ, March 30, 1889), "The Fisherman and His Soul," and "The Star- Child." Because of its physical construction, a book very difficult to find in agreeable condition. MASON/MILLARD 347.
Seller: William Reese Company - Literature, ABAA, New Haven, CT, U.S.A.
Oscar Wilde. A House of Pomegranates. James R. Osgood McIlviane and Co, London UK, 1891.
Price: US$1537.04 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: One of only 1000 copies of A House of Pomegranates in original Charles Ricketts decorative binding. Flawed at the time of publication due to a printer fault leading to faded illustration plates. Original decorated cream cloth boards with bright gilt peacock design. Slight lean to the book. Green cloth spine with dulled gilt titles. Cloth foxed with some bubbling and light soiling. Decorated end papers split at inner hinges. Delicate end papers are reinforced with archival material. All Ricketts plates complete and faded. Black and white engravings and decorations throughout the text. Edges untrimmed. 8vo 158pp.
Seller: Rare And Antique Books PBFA, Exeter, DEVON, United Kingdom
Oscar Wilde. A House of Pomegranates. London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine & Co., 1891.
Price: US$1750.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First Edition of this title, Wilde's second collection of stories, following The Happy Prince & Other Tales.The design and decoration of the book are by C. Ricketts & C.H. Shannon. This is one of only 1000 copies printed. A Very Good copy of this scarce title which comprises four quite beautiful fairy tales: The Young King, The Birthday of the Infanta, The Fisherman and His Soul, and The Star-Child. Although Wilde's fairy tales were seemingly for children, the author in fact intended them more for the attention of adults. He is quoted as saying that the stories were intended neither for the British child or the British public. Bound in original publisher's cloth binding, with title and author on what is now a rather faded cream colored front board, the copy has ornate designs in light red, and a peacock, fountain, and fruit basket all in gilt. In summation, a quite worn copy of this charming Wilde title, and thus priced accordingly.
Seller: Mystery Pier Books, Inc.,ABAA, ILAB, ABA, West Hollywood, CA, U.S.A.
Oscar Wilde. A House of Pomegranates.. James R. Osgood, 1891.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: A House of Pomegranates. With Art Nouveau designs by Charles Ricketts and four illustrations by Charles Shannon. Small 4to, original pictorial cloth decorated in gilt and red, light rubbing to spine tips, scattered soiling; foxing to front and end matter, bookplate, plates faded as usual. First trade edition, mostly uncut copy. Mason 347. London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine, 1891
Seller: Neverland Books, waalre, Netherlands
Price: US$2881.94 + shipping
Description: First edition, one of 1,000 copies. This is an attractive copy of Wilde's collection of fairy-stories. The rich illustrations by the noted Art Nouveau designers Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon are often found distinctly faded - in this copy they are notably well-defined. Stuart Mason notes that "After the book was finished and bound it was noticed that a dusty deposit had formed on each plate. to take off this deposit each plate was rubbed with soft flannel, which removed the surface and left the reproductions faint and in some cases almost obliterated" (p. 365). A House of Pomegranates contains "more ornate fairy-stories than the Happy Prince collection and more directly socialist" (ODNB). Mason 347. Quarto. Original green cloth-backed pale brown boards, spine and front cover lettered and decorated in gilt, front cover elaborately decorated and lettered in orange, light green printed endpapers. Engraved title page, 4 plates and numerous small engravings in the text. Ink inscription of yin-yang symbol and "11 May 1901" to initial blank. Light bumping and wear to extremities, slight lean to spine, minor finger soiling to covers, slight cracking to inner hinges, toning to contents, slight separation between several gatherings: a very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom