THE SEASONS de (KELLIEGRAM BINDING) THOMSON, JAMES - 1859

London: James Nisbet and Company, 1859. Covers and spine with intricate gilt Art Deco designs. Central oval cameo on each cover depicting the four seasons. Violets and roses representing Spring and Summer on front cover. Grapes and winter lilies on rear cover for Autumn and Winter. The flowers are constructed of inlaid pieces of colored leather. All edges gilt. Gilt tooled inner dentelles. Blue silk endpapers. Original covers and spine are bound-in at rear. A SIGNED BINDING BY KELLIEGRAM. Illustrations through the text by Birket Foster, Noel Humphreys, F.R. Picklesgill, J. Wolfe, and G. Thomas. A crisp and clean copy throughout with one blemish, brown spot at top of pp.28-29. 228pp. Housed in a custom brown cloth drop-front lined box with gently-worn corners. Beautiful inlaid, colorful Kelliegram bindings wre among the many innovations of the English binding firm of Kelly and Sons. The Kelly family had one of the longest tenures in the history of the binding trade in London, founded in 1770 by John Kellie, as the name was then spelled. The firm was carried on by successive family members into the 1930's. This is a fine example of their craftsmanship. Please see photos.. First Edition. Full Polished Brown Levant. Fine/No Dust Jacket. Octavo.