Giannini

1896 · ST20603 — London New York and Bombay: Printed at the Chiswick Press for Longmans Green and Co 1896. FIRST EDITION but see below. 216 x 130 mm. 8 1/2 x 5 1/8". Two volumes. <br/> REMARKABLY ANIMATED SCARLET MOROCCO GILT BY GIULIO GIANNINI stamp-signed on foot of spine covers with mitered frame of double gilt rules enclosing a foliate roll the central compartment with floral scroll cornerpieces and a central gilt-ruled lozenge surrounding a scrolling mandorla all studded with small floral tools and annular dots raised bands spine gilt in compartments with floral tools turn-ins gilt leather hinges crimson endpapers in a leather-grain pattern all edges gilt. Forman 165; LeMire A80.02. Spines evenly darkened to crimson a handful of small stains in the text but A BEAUTIFUL SET nearly pristine internally in still gleaming bindings.<br/> <br/> This first printing of Morris' fantasy novel was very handsomely bound by an esteemed Florentine workshop currently in its 170th year. Pietro Giannini 1811-82 founded his business in 1856 as a stationery store with a sideline in bookbinding. In 1878 he was joined by his son Giulio 1853-1931 who chose to concentrate exclusively on fine bindings and other luxury leather goods a move that transformed the business. When his son Guido Giannini Sr. 1877-1956 joined the firm in the 1890s he commissioned a large number of bronze stamps that would allow the Gianninis to create bindings tooled in a wide range of historical styles. Some of the stamps have been put to fine use on the covers here. According to the firm's website by the late 19th century Florence had a substantial community of wealthy and cultured English expatriates who appreciated fine craftsmanship; this provided Giulio with "a large and faithful clientele." It seems likely that it was one of these expats who had this English novel bound by an Italian master. Today the fifth and sixth generation of Giannini family binders operate the Giulio Giannini e Figlio in its original location in Piazza Pitti. The present printing of "Well at World's End" is considered by bibliographers the true first edition. Battling his way through the bibliographical weeds Sparling indicates that the production of our trade edition was actually completed before the limited Kelmscott edition even though the latter was issued first. He says "The ordinary edition was . . . being printed for Longmans at the Chiswick Press and the Kelmscott Press edition was set up from the sheets of this which was ready for publication in 1894 though not actually published until October 1896 being held back in order that the Kelmscott Press edition might be the first" to appear. [Printed at the Chiswick Press for] Longmans, Green, and Co unknown