Illuminated Manuscript of Victorian Verse and Floral Decoration

Full Morocco. Very Good. With twelve leaves of verse, written in a calligraphic hand, and floral and/or illuminated decoration. The first leaf is of armorial decoration and the mottos "Ich Dien" atop and "ung ic sepvepsg" below, both written on ribboned ornament. The leaves following feature fluent rhymed verse surrounded by exquisite Victorian Era floral decoration. The poems have a spiritual or religious overtone; the glory of the book is the decoration, adapted from Gothic sources, and the decorated letter figures. The visual uplift compensates for the often somber tone of the poetry. The verse is titled "Flowers", "The Reaper and the Flowers", and "Suspiria", while some of it appears untitled. As everything is clearly meant to cohere as a single work, arguably the verse is all of one piece, and a remarkable aspect of this album is that the author harbored such a larger ambition. The morocco binding has considerable wear and rubbing. Minor soiling to the leaves. Tissue guards also soiled, with some tears. The volume is folio-sized, measuring 15 by 12 inches, 38 by 30 cm.