Bracebridge Hall

Copyright date 1987, 1st thus edition, 1st illustrated edition by Randolph Caldecott, 284, Illustrations by Randolph Caldecott.

Beautifully bound in full mottled green calf gilt spine and turn-inns, marble ends and original cloth covers bound in the back. Bound by Charles Sessler.

A lovely edition of Irving's novel Bracebridge Hall, illustrated by Caldecott. With an engraved illustration to frontispiece and illustrated title page and numerous further illustrations throughout. Bracebridge Hall, or The Humorists, A Medley was written by Washington Irving in 1821, while he lived in England, and published in 1822. This episodic novel was originally published under his pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon. As this is a location-based series of character sketches, there are a number of individual plots. The tales centre on the occupants of an English manor (based on Aston Hall, near Birmingham, England, which was occupied by members of the Bracebridge family and which Irving visited).

Binder and bookshop owner Vienna-born bookseller Charles Sessler (1854-1935), opened his shop on 1314 Walnut Street in 1906. Sessler sold all sorts of rare books, but he specialized in the work of Charles Dickens. Sessler's assistant, Mabel Zahn (1890-1975), began working at the store when she was only fifteen years old and took over the store when Sessler died. Zahn became president of Sessler's in 1955.