BRACEBRIDGE HALL; Illustrated by R. Caldecott

London: MacMillan & Co, 1892. Later Edition. Decorated & gilt-stamped cloth. Near Fine/None. R. Caldecott. 12mo (7 1/4" x 5"), decorative green publisher's gilt-stamped cloth, profusely illustrated with frontispiece, title page, and 116 B&W lithographs by R. Caldecott and engraved by J.D. Cooper (with tissue guard for the frontispiece), a.e.g. (all edges gilded), black endpapers, xiv + 284 pages + [4] Ads. Washington Irving (1783-1859) was a very popular American author of the early nineteenth century. Best known for his short stories The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip van Winkle, he was also a prolific essayist, biographer, novelist, and historian. He spoke fluent Spanish, and he could read several other languages, including German and Dutch. His first book was A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker. He travelled on the Western frontier in the 1830s and recorded his glimpses of Western tribes in A Tour on the Prairies. He also lived and wrote in England, Spain, and on the Continent. Bracebridge Hall, or The Humorists, A Medley was written by Washington Irving in 1821, while he lived in England, and it was published in 1822. This episodic novel was originally published under his pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon. It is a series of character sketches and individual plots, which centre on life in an English manor based on Aston Hall, near Birmingham, England, which was occupied by members of the Bracebridge family and which Irving visited. Think of it as a prototype of Downton Abbey.--adapting Wikipedia "The first edition appeared in 1876 [dated 1877]. This edition of Bracebridge Hall is in a handy format. Sequel to "Old Christmas." "R"[andolph] Caldecott (1846 - 1886) was an English artist and prominent illustrator. The Caldecott Medal was named in his honour. He exercised his art chiefly in book illustrations--often with humorous treatment of hunting and fashionable life. His abilities as an artist were promptly and generously recognised by the Royal Academy. --Wikipedia A tight and very bright copy of this charming collection of stories by Washington Irving that is happily illustrated by Randolph Caldecott. The book's corners have a bit of wear and there is very light foxing scattered throughout its pages. Previous owner's small embossed circular seal on the black free front endpaper, so nearlly invisible.