Pictures of Early New York on Dark Blue Staffordshire Pottery. Together with Pictures of Boston and New England, Philadelphia, the South and West

NY: Dodd, Mead, 1899. Three quarto volumes. xxvi, 330pp. From an edition of 268, this is one of thirty copies on Imperial Japon. In addition, this is a unique copy with an extra set of the 126 color photogravure plates printed on white satin and backed in celadon silk. The colors of the blue and white pottery, as well as some sepia and multi-colored ware, seem to glow and take on a three-dimensional quality. Bound in a full blue morocco "Adams Mosaique" binding, with an oak-leaf and acorn pattern within a rococo oval frame, inlaid in cream and teal morocco. The oak garland motif is repeated in gilt in the six spine compartments. Gilt turn-ins, with satin doublures illustrated with blue-and-white Harvard dishes, and moiré silk endleaves complete the binding. A fore-edge painting represents a blue-and-white Staffordshire pitcher. The extra suite on satin is laid into two blue morocco drop-back boxes bound with spines to match the book, with oak garlands on front and back, and with doublures and linings of cream silk damask. Some small rubbed spots to spines and tears to damask linings, otherwise fine. The three blue morocco volumes are housed in green morocco pull-off boxes with an Art Deco design in gilt. Outer boxes show a few small rubbed spots. A rich, unique, and beautifully presented set. (Weber, J., p. 36-37).