Publishers’ morocco bindings in the Robin de Beaumont Collection

 

@20102025   

All BL images ©The British Library Board. All BM images ©Trustees of the British Museum

Publishers’ morocco bindings in the Robin de Beaumont Collection

Robin de Beaumont was a pre-eminent collector and bookseller of Victorian books. He died in 2023 aged 97. Details of his life and collecting are available via the Sheila Markham interview https://www.sheila-markham.com/interviews/robin-de-beaumont.html

His collection of Victorian publications was one of the finest, as the condition of a book was paramount – always the copy in best condition was sought and retained, whilst copies in a lesser condition were sold. Books with provenance he frequently purchased. I had become familiar with some of the publishers’ bindings in his collection, having provided an essay (and descriptive entries) for the four hundred books that he gifted to the British Museum in 1994, entitled: “Prints, Provenance and decorated book covers. Cataloguing The British Museum Robin de Beaumont Collection.” https://victorianbookbindings.blogspot.com/2019 /

His family put up his collection for auction, via Bonhams. Consequently, an online sale of the collection was held on 31 January 2024. Purchases of Lots 140 and 141 (grouped together under the heading Publisher’s Morocco Bindings) consisted of 29 books, and were acquired by the British Library, with generous support from the BL Collections Trust. The British Library decided to make images and descriptions for each of these books in these two lots, using Wikimedia Commons.

For each de Beaumont book entry, images were normally made of the covers and the spine; the title page; the frontispiece, if present; the notes, the bookplate, endpapers and pastedowns.  In the notes field of each Wikimedia entry, there a full description of the work, and its book covers. de Beaumont routinely wrote notes regarding where and when the book was purchased and price paid. All of these books now have records available for online consultation:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Formerly_Robin_de_Beaumont_Collection

The context in which these books were made and published

Publisher’s titles or other advertisements often printed on the lower cover of books in Lots 188 and 189. The price of one shilling frequently appears on these books - some six pence today. This was quite a bit of money at the time. However, there were large numbers of books published in this period for a penny or two pence. The British Library book Penny Dreadfuls… The Barry Ono Collection (1998), together with a film of Barry Ono showing his collection (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgS9Bq2E3ew    - and The Aldine Library “O’er Land and Sea” https://uk.pinterest.com/search/my_pins/?q=aldine%20library&rs=ac   -  these examples provide details of books published for a mass market. Additionally, publishers’ lists of their own books were very frequently printed on endpapers, pastedowns and lower covers, for selling at any price from a few pence upwards (see: https://uk.pinterest.com/edmundking/victorian-publishers-titles/  )

At the other end of the market for books, expensive decorated edition bindings in leather were made in the period 1840s to 1870s. The cover and spine decoration could be made from bass dies, and blocked onto cloth, or onto leather.  Quite often, these were known in their time as “gift books” or “Christmas Gifts”. The price charged was often one guinea for books bound in cloth. For books bound in morocco, and there were plenty of these, the price could be one and a half guineas (£1.11s. 6d.), or more: two or three guineas. One guinea in 1860 would be some £84 today.  (https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency-converter/#currency-result   )   Publishers commissioned well-known artists, either singly or as a group, to provide multiple illustrations aligned with the text. When creating engravings on wood from the drawings, the work of the engravers was important; this is attested by the many citations of both illustrators and engravers in the lists of content of these books.  Many books were published a few months before Christmas; the publishers and booksellers paid for advertisements in newspapers and magazines, with the purchase price often cited. The Dalziel Brothers, as engravers, were significant in promoting these books, providing many illustrations from wood engravings. They provided a list of ‘Fine Art Books’, at the end of their book:  The Brothers Dalziel. A record of work 1840-1890 (1978): List of Fine Art and other Illustrated Books, pp. 353-355.

Typical of the guinea books was ‘all over’ cover decoration, with identical blocking on each cover, often with full gold leaf applied and full spine decoration as well. These Morocco bindings were grouped by Bonhams into three lots. The British Library managed to purchase lots 140 and Lot 141. Some thirty-four books. When originally published, the publishers of these works would not have sent an expensive copy bound in leather to the British Museum, as required by the provisions of legal deposit. Copies bound in paper, or in cloth were sent for deposit instead. So, securing these copies in ‘de luxe’ leather bindings has filled this gap.

An example is the Routledge 1856 edition of Longfellow’s Poetical Works. (BL shelf mark C188.a.712)

 

C188a712 both covers and spine

Some idea of Longfellow’s popularity may be gained from the one hundred and seventy copies in the British Library, of just his Poetical Works. This work was publicised on its title page as: “Illustrated with upwards of one hundred designs, drawn by John Gilbert, engraved by the Brothers Dalziel.” The Morning Herald of 6 December 1855, page 8, printed an advertisement: “In one vol. 4to., price 21s, [for] cloth gilt extra; or £1l. 11s. 6d. (i. e. one and a half guineas) Antique Morocco …enriched with a Portrait, the only one Mr. Longfellow ever sat for…” The dark green Morocco has been blocked with a large, recessed lozenge on both covers, with dense foliage (blocked in relief) surrounding the title.

The Gulistan (1852)

C188a715 both covers and spine

The company of Stephen Austin, of Hertford (still in business today), was active in this period. Robin de Beaumont acquired two fine examples of their work. The first is the Gulistan (1852); BL shelfmark C188a715), a guinea book.  The description for this book is in wiki commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:C188a715_01.jpg The chromolithographs are by Hanhart. de Beaumont noted on the catalogue slip for this copy: [Book purchased from:] ‘Ian Hodgkins 11.77 £65’. Yellow endpapers and pastedowns. The gilt edges are gauffered, with gilt turn ins and board edges. Red/ Crimson Morocco. Binder’s pallet at the bottom of the upper pastedown: “Bound by Stephen Austin Hertford”. Both covers blocked identically in gold, with an arabesque design. de Beaumont tracked other copies of this work, with eight tipped in slips (including one for this copy) of copies appearing in bookseller sale catalogues from 1977 to 2008, giving details of the bindings – four copies in leather/ Morocco; and four copies in cloth. The Hertford Mercury and Reformer, (owned and published by the Austin family company) of 23.10.1852, page 1, has an advertisement: “The Gulistan, Demy 8vo., Very Elegantly Bound, Price One Guinea.”

Rouman Anthology 1856

         

C188a710 

            
                                    C188a710 half title page

For the Rouman Anthology 1856; BL shelf mark C188a710), Stephen Austin provided a fine central upper cover vignette.   The description for this book is in wiki commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:C188a710_01.jpg The ‘very elegant’ de luxe copy, probably for sale price 36s. On the front endpaper verso, there is a long set of notes by de Beaumont, together with his ‘heraldic’ bookplate. He has noted ‘[Book purchased from:] Ian Hodgkin 6.77 £60.00’. Gilt to edges, turn-ins and board edges. White endpapers and pastedowns, with gilt border frames. On the upper pastedown at the bottom, is the pallet: “Bound by Stephen Austin Hertford.” The half title page has the coloured lettering: “Fleurs de la Roumanie”, within a coloured arch (chromolithograph?) Green Morocco. The same design is blocked on the perimeter of both covers – two gilt rules on the borders, and ‘plant’ motifs on each corner. The Upper cover has a central vignette showing two oxen pulling a large cart. On the spine, there is a gilt cartouche from head to tail, with small plant decoration blocked in relief with it. On the upper half of the sine, the letters: “/ Selections/ of/ Rouman Poetry/ [rule]/ Stanley./” are blocked in gold. Tipped in at the end, there are descriptions of this work from eight other booksellers’ catalogues, dating from 1977 to 2005. The coloured borders for each page are said to be the work of Henry Noel Humphreys. The monogram ‘oriental’ device of Stephen Austin features an elephant, printed on the facing page of the half title, and also on page one of the catalogue of Austin’s publications bound at the end.

Robert Burns Poems and Songs 1858

  

BL C188a713    

         

           BM P&D 1992,0406.46

The Bell and Daldy 1858 edition of Robert Burns Poems and Songs is typical in the lavishness of its cover design. The illustrations within were drawn by ten artists and nine engravers. (The full entry is at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:C188a713_01.jpg   ) The design is a "Renaissance panel" – testimony to the skills of the die cutters, who cut the brass block for the covers and the spine to enable the stamping of the design to be carried out. Cartouches are blocked on the sides, the head and the tail in gold and in relief. Plant stem and leaf decoration is blocked in relief between all the above. The central rectangle has on its borders two fillets blocked in hatch gold, with a pattern of repeating diamonds between the fillets. The ‘Renaissance style’ central lettering-piece oval has a border of scrollwork, with the words:"/ Poems/ and/ songs/ by/ Robt. Burns/" blocked in relief within it – all surrounded by a tracery of curling stems and leaves picked out in relief. The spine has decoration all in gold. The design is signed with the monogram “AW” [i.e. Albert Henry Warren] in relief, within the lower cartouche.

The British Museum de Beaumont copy of this Bell and Daldy edition is at P&D register no. 1992,0406.46. It has the same design blocked on the covers and the spine as this copy. However, the covers are of red dyed cloth with Morocco grain, and the lower cover is blocked in blind – no gold leaf was applied. The BM copy has a binder’s ticket of Leighton Son & Hodge, so it is possible that this bindery also made the copy in Morocco. The Morning Herald (London) of Wednesday 25 November 1857, page 8, has an advertisement by Bell and Daldy for this work, with three price categories for three different bindings: “In Small 4to., printed by Clay on toned paper, and bound in a richly ornamented cover [of cloth], price 1l. 1s. [one guinea]; or in morocco, 1l. 11s. 6d. [one and a half guineas]. A few copies will be bound by Hayday, in morocco extra, price 2l. 2s. [two guineas]”.

 

Edgar Allen Poe The poetical works 1858

          

BL C188a716 

           

         BM 1996,1104.35

The 1858 Sampson, Low edition of Edgar Allen Poe’s The poetical works conforms to this pattern of production for a de luxe text, illustrations and binding. Eight artists drew the illustrations, with eight engravers working to create wood blocks for printing. Again, this cover design is a testimony to the skills of the die cutters. On the upper endpaper verso is the binder’s pallet: “Bound by W. Bone & Son 74 Fleet Street.” There are gilt board edges and turn ins and the covers are of dark green Morocco. Both covers are blocked identically showing an ‘oriental’ design. The centre of the lower cover oval has the monogram “AW” [i.e. Albert Henry Warren] picked out in relief. (Ball p. 163) The spine, head to tail, has the same ‘oriental’ decoration as for the covers. The oval on the centre of the spine has the same oval decoration and lettering as for the upper cover. At the base of the spine, within a gilt cartouche, the monogram “AW” is blocked in relief. The Press [newspaper] of 5.12.1857, page 24, has the advertisement: “Sampson Low now publishing …8vo., cloth extra 21s [one guinea]; Morocco 36s 6d. [one and two thirds guineas1s six pence]” The BM P&D copy is at reg. no. 1996,1104.35. It is also bound by Bone in maroon Morocco vertical grain cloth, probably the copy for sale at 21s. (one guinea). It has the same blocking as the copy, C188a716, which is also bound by Bone, and probably is the copy for sale at 36s. 6d. (one and two third guineas, one and sixpence).

James Burn Publisher

The publisher James Burn was publishing, and actively marketing, gift/ Christmas books in the 1840s. de Beaumont acquired three of these.

Poems and Pictures 1846

C188a808 both covers and spine

de Beaumont acquired this book in April 2003, at a price of £40. (The first edition of this work.) It was fashionable for a list of illustrations to be included at the front - there were nineteen artists who provided the drawings and twelve engravers created the wood blocks. ( a full list of these is at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:C188a808_01.jpg  )

All the edges are gilt and gauffered. Green Morocco. Both covers are blocked identically, with double rules on the borders, and gilt patterns to the turn-ins. The title words are in gilt on the centre, in ‘medieval style’ letters: “/ Poems/ and/ Pictures/. Tendrils surround all the letters. The title is on the middle of the spine: “/ Poems/ and/ Pictures/”. There is a gilt quatrefoil at the base of the spine, with the monogram of James Burn blocked inside it. An advertisement for this work is printed in the St. James’s Chronicle, 18 December 1845, page 1, col. 2: “This volume is beautifully printed in square 8vo., on toned paper and elegantly bound in cloth, gilt tops… Price Two Guineas, or in Morocco Three Guineas.” There is a laudatory review of this work in the Morning Herald, 19 December 1845, page 3, col. 6.

C188b179 The second edition of this work - 1846.

de Beaumont acquired the book in March 1972 at cost of £5.50 ‘for binding’ All edges gilt and gauffered. Dark red Morocco over boards. Both covers blocked identically in blind and in relief. Two gilt rules to the borders. An advertisement paid for by burns appeared in the Sun (Newspaper, of London): “Magnificent Drawing-Room Table or Gift-Book. Just published, Poems and Pictures … Price in crimson cloth gilt 2 guineas; or in Morocco elegant 2 guineas and a half…”

 

Sacred Verses – Burn 1846

 

C188a813 both covers and spine

de Beaumont acquired this book from Tom Biro for £30 ‘reduced from £75!’ Published in 1846 by James Burn. All the usual outer elements are present for this de luxe red morocco binding: marbled endpapers and pastedowns, all edges gilt and gauffered, with bevelled boards. Apart from the title words on the upper cover, both covers are blocked identically. The Manchester Courier for 30 December 1846, page 1 col. 7 has this work listed as number 7 of a group of books entitled: “Gift Books for Young Ladies… [price] 18s. (This likely to be for the cloth binding, rather than Morocco.)

Macaulay. Lays of ancient Rome.

C188a703 both covers and spine

                                  

    
         C188a705

 

Colllins 503

Four copies of this popular work were purchased by the British Library at the Bonhams sale of January 2004. Three of these four were acquired by de Beaumont between April 1995 to April 2002. Copy C188a703 has on the centre of each cover a ‘monumental-style’ façade, within which are the words: “/ Lays of/ Ancient/ Rome/” blocked in gold. Within the cartouche at the base, a fasces is blocked horizontally. This decoration/ design was repeated for the copies at C188a704 (1877); C188a809 (1877) – this copy may have been purchased because it was bound by R & A Suttaby. He may have purchased copy C188a705 (1865) because it had a red Morocco binding. The copy at Collins 503 has a different brown Morocco binding, by James Hayday. (Another copy of the 1865 edition in the BL, shelf mark 1560/3694, has not been seen.)

 

Goldsmith The Traveller – re-use of block - specimen book?

  

C188a812      

      

        C109bb16 both covers and spine

This work is a curiosity. It is printed on thick ‘card-like’ paper, with a blank sheet interleaved between each two pages of text. Bound in brown morocco. Both covers are blocked identically in gold. This is the same block/ design that was used for BL C109bb16: Emile Souvestre Translations from the French by Elizabeth Strachey, who died in April 1855. This latter work is a memorial set of two volumes, 1856, privately printed, bound by Leighton Son & Hodge. The all over ‘oriental’ design has dense foliage on borders and corners; the central rectangle is a gold-lettering piece which has swirling foliage picked out in relief. For the re-use of the brass block on Goldsmith’s The Traveller, the central roundel has the monogram “ES” removed and a small knot is blocked instead in gold on the centre within the roundel. Also, the dedication to Elizabeth Strachey at the head and the Latin tag at the tail of each cover of the 1856 work are also removed, with repeating gilt cartouches being substituted. The spine repeats the full foliage decoration, with the title in gold near the head: “/Goldsmith/ Traveller/ Illustrated/ by/ Birket/ Foster/”. The likely published date for C188a812 is 1857, as David Bogue died in November 1856. His business was purchased by June 1857 by W. Kent & Co. (Wigan Advertiser 12 June 1857, page 6, col. 5) The Saunders Newsletter 2 November 1857, page 1, col. 1, stated: “Yesterday, the seventh and concluding sale of the literary property of the late Mr. Bogue took place… Goldsmith’s Traveller by Birket Foster, the engraved plates £95.”  [This book – C188a812 - has the look and feel of a Specimen Book.] Additional details at: https://victorianbookbindings.blogspot.com/2025/08/emile-souvestre-translated-by-elizabeth.html

Cleopatra’s needle

C188a817

The planned transportation of Cleopatra’s needle from Egypt to London in 1877 attracted much public attention and excitement. de Beaumont acquired this book in April 1975, for £3.5.0. Our Egyptian Obelisk  has all the features of a gift book: silk moire endpapers and pastedowns; all edges gilt; bevelled boards, with dark red Morocco. The upper and lower covers have two rules blocked in blind on the borders. The upper cover shows Cleopatra’s Needle on the centre, in gold. Tipped in at the rear are bookseller entries for five similar copies. In the Illustrated London News, 13 October 1877, page13, col. 2, the text was issued at a price of 3d. In the Nonconformist (newspaper), of 19 December 1877, page 23, col. 2, this work was advertised as: “[Bound in] Cloth price 5s.” More would have been charged, for copies bound in leather.

Ancient Spanish ballads. Owen Jones

C188b175 both covers and spine

Ancient Spanish ballads. (C188b175) The half title page, and the recto and verso of the title page are chromolithographs. Cream moire endpapers and pastedowns. with plant patterns. Many of the pages have ornamental borders. All edges gilt. Red Morocco. Both covers blocked identically in gold and in blind. A single rule is blocked on the borders, with straps on each corner. An inner rectangle is formed by four gold fillets, with plant decoration on each inner corner. On the centre in gold, the title letters: “/ Lockhart’s/ Spanish/ Ballads/” are blocked. The spine is blocked in gold. Near the head, the title: “/ Lockhart’s/ Spanish/ Ballads/” is blocked in gold. In the centre of the spine is strapwork. At the tail, the imprint: “/ London/ John Murray/1841/” is blocked in gold. Tipped in at the rear, are: an email exchange; a newspaper article; notes by de Beaumont; bookseller entries of other copies of this work. An advertisement for this work appeared in The Sun (London) Monday, 4 October 1841, page 1: …John Murray …in one volume, 4to., handsomely bound, price2l. 2s.” (Two guineas.) McLean (VBD p.80) states: “For Ancient Spanish Ballads, Owen Jones probably designed the binding, an arabesque design blocked in gold on cloth… in Ancient Spanish Ballads and other works, he  popularised Moorish architectural design.”

Aytoun. Lays of Scottish Cavaliers

C188b177 both covers and spine

Aytoun. Lays of Scottish Cavaliers. The condition of this copy is fine. Many of the illustrations are signed with the monogram “NP”(JNP?), i.e. Joseph Noel Paton. Paton also drew the head- and tail-pieces. de Beaumont paid £160 to buy this copy, in October 2003. Gilt edges. Gilt turn-ins, with a ‘zig-zag’ pattern. Bevelled boards. Red Morocco. Both covers are blocked identically in gold and in relief, with a ‘heraldic’ design. On each corner, a shield is blocked in gold with the heraldry picked out in relief. There is a motto blocked in a pennant beneath each shield. The mottos are: top left – ‘in defense’; top right: ‘jamais arriere’ (never behind); bottom left – ‘n oubliez’- (do not forget); bottom right –‘recta sursum’ (straight up). The inner central quatrefoil is delineated by three rules blocked in gold. At its head and its tail, a thistle and a fleur-de-lis are blocked in gold. On the centre, there are three crossed swords, with a gilt pennant having the motto picked out in relief: ‘Nemo me impune lacessit’ (No one provokes me with impunity).

Tipped in at the rear is a sale slip for a drawing by Noel Paton, entitled: “Two lovers in a garden”. Written by de Beaumont on this slip: “This is the drawing in the Rupert Toovey sale E. Sussex 10th October 2001 with much else of Noel Paton from a descendent who lived locally. A group (of drawings in ink and in pencil) which I bought at the same sale are inserted in my copy of Aytoun’s Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers, 1863.” ‘We can view the original ink/ pencil drawing alongside the published version in the book. For example, there are three preliminary sketches to accompany the head piece (p.49) entitled: “The Heart of the Bruce”.

                                               C188b177 pages 48-49

The Sun (London newspaper) of 24 November 1863, page 1, col. 2, carries an advertisement by Blackwood: “…small 4to., printed on toned paper, bound in gilt cloth, 21s.” Copies bound in morocco would have a higher purchase price.

The BL Legal deposit copy is at shelf mark 2292.i.1 - Original upper cover used as a doublure, in a BM rebinding. It has the same cover decoration as this copy (C188b177). The British Museum de Beaumont copy is at reg. no. 1996,1104.2 It has a green Morocco binding. On the centre of each cover, the coat of arms of Scotland is blocked in gold, surmounted by a crown.

Full notes relating to this work are available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:C188b177_01.jpg

 

Moore’s Irish melodies – proofs copy

C188b182 upper cover                                     C188b182 lower cover

This work Irish Melodies by Thomas Moore was very popular. For this edition, the steel engraved plates were executed by Charles George Lewis. The illustrations drawn by Daniel Maclise. Each page has a decorative pictorial border. Each is signed: “D. Maclise R. A.” and “F. P. Becker” and “Proof”. De Beaumont has noted on the upper endpaper recto: ‘[Purchased at:] Christies 5 (Kensington?) 23.1.1981 £170 against Sam Fogg’. Cream/ light yellow decorated paper over boards. Binder’s ticket on lower pastedown: “/Bound by/ Westleys/ & Co./ London/” [Ball no. 103C. p. 191] Yellow endpapers and pastedowns. Shamrock patterns are printed across the whole cover, surrounding the central roundel. There are interlocking straps at the head of each cover. On the lower cover, the central roundel has interlocking straps on its perimeter. Within the roundel is the monogram L B C (Longman Brown & Co?) On the upper cover, the perimeter of the central roundel has the words: “Moore’s Irish Melodies” printed in ‘shamrock-like’ letters. On the centre is a seated lady holding an Irish harp. The spine has shamrock patterns from head to tail. At the head is the word “Proofs”. Near the head, within a green lettering-piece, the title words: “/Moore’s/ Irish/ Melodies/” are printed in ‘cream’ colour. At the tail, within a green lettering-piece, the imprint is: “/ Longman/ and Co./” In the Morning Herald, 3 October 1845, page 20, col. 2, an advertisement by Longman reads: “At the end of October will be published, Moore’s Irish Melodies. Illustrated by D Maclise, R. A. In one volume imp. 8vo., with 160 designs engraved on steel, 3. 3s. (three guineas); or, proof impressions 6l. 6s. (six guineas). ***The above may be had, bound in morocco by Hayday, price 4l. 14s. 6d.” Most likely this copy is the proof impressions copy. (Intended as a specimen book?) These were steep prices indeed. Tipped in at the end are twenty-two other bookseller entries for this work. This indicates how de Beaumont kept looking out for another copy with the same decoration as this.

This was a very popular work, with any number of bindings for different editions; many are available now to view online. It is unclear whether this design was cut into a brass block, which would have been embossed onto leather.   

Conclusion

The purchase by the British Library of these copies with de luxe bindings in leather confirms that there was a market for the sale of such costly works. Whilst some allowance needs to be made for the optimism of publishers in asking such high prices, there must have been a demand, or else they would not have made the investment to create such books and their bindings.

 

Edmund M B King

St Albans

October 2025

 

Further reading

Ball, Douglas. Victorian publishers’ bindings. London, Library Association, 1985.

The Brothers Dalziel. A record of work 1840-1890, (1978)

Edmund M B King. Victorian Decorated Trade Bindings 1830-1880. 2003.

Edmund M B King. Prints, Provenance and decorated book covers. Cataloguing The British Museum Robin de Beaumont Collection: https://victorianbookbindings.blogspot.com/2019/06/british-museum-robin-de-beaumont.html

McLean, Ruari. Victorian book design and colour printing. 2nd edition. [London] Faber & Faber [1972]  

McLean, Ruari. Victorian publishers’ book-bindings in cloth and leather. London, Gordon Fraser, 1974

The Victorian Web: https://www.victorianweb.org/