11/18/2017
Pretty AND smart! I was lucky to find this luscious 1907 Art Nouveau encyclopedia set at the Bookmark Bookstore / Friends of the Oakland Public Library (FOPL) and it's now featured in my Etsy shop.
Set's 31-volumes are beyond amazing for their age--110 years old and counting--featuring buttery soft cappuccino-colored leather covers, tooled and embossed, with gilded lettering on the spines; full-page chromolithographs in vibrant hues; lots of engravings and maps.
Of special note is its interesting provenance: each book in the set is labeled with original owner and former California State Senator Fred Gerdes' name and several pieces of his ephemera are included, one featuring handwritten notes on the back of a political fundraising letter...a truly special set for the discerning antiquarian book lover!
Antique Werners 1907 Encyclopedia Britannica: 31 volume set of chromolithos, maps, engravings, Art Nouveau leather covers...gorgeous! Plus ephemera from original owner, Fred C. Gerdes, a CA State Senator; most volumes bear a tag with his name on the spine. The set is truly