Surtees Robert Smith Text by (1 results)

Hardcover. Condition: g to vg. First edition. Large octavo. VIII, [2], 406pp. Contemporary 3/4 red crushed morocco over marbled paper covered boards, with gold lettering and tooling on spine. Raised bands. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Color frontispiece. Illustrated title page and initials. "Plain or Ringlets ?" tells the story of Rosa McDermott and her decisions on marrying either Mr Bunting or young Jasper Goldspink, this story is played out against a wonderful broad background of scoundrels, Dukes and Duchesses, fox-hunting, harriers, country folk, match-making mammas and all sorts who make a colorful tapestry of nineteenth-century life as lovingly and devastatingly satirically described by Surtees. The title refers to Rosa's suitors, each of whom prefers Rosa to wear her hair in a different style; and whichever appears to be more in favor at any particular time looks to see how her hair is being styled. This remarkable work is splendidly illustrated throughout with 13 colored steel engravings and 44 woodcuts by English caricaturist and illustrator John Leech. Moderate rubbing along edges of binding. Binding in overall good- to good, interior in very good condition.