Holmes, Oliver Wendell (1809–1894)

The Autocrat Of The Breakfast-Table [Fine Binding, H M Brock Illustrations, Temple Classics Era, Gift Book Leather]

London - Boston and New York, J M Dent & Co - Houghton Mifflin & Co, 1902.
THE CONVERSATIONAL MASTERPIECE OF AMERICAN LETTERS.
A turn-of-the-century 'breakfast table' classic presented in a striking decorative binding. This 1902 edition combines Holmes’s witty, conversational essays with the elegant line drawings of H.M. Brock. 

The volume is a prime example of the Edwardian 'gift book' era, where the physical object was intended to match the brilliance of the prose. Holmes’s fictionalized boarding-house dialogues remain a cornerstone of American humor and social commentary, ranging from medicine and religion to the small vanities of human nature.

KEY FEATURES 
+++ The Binding: A bespoke small-format binding in green leather featuring bold marbled inlay panels on both boards, framed by intricate gilt rules and floral-tooled spine compartments.
+++ Visuals: Richly illustrated throughout with the social-comedy line drawings of H.M. Brock, which perfectly capture the 'Autocrat’s' companions.
+++ Imprint: A collaborative transatlantic issue by J.M. Dent (London) and Houghton Mifflin (Boston/New York), 1902.
+++ Format: Small octavo (approx. 7.5 x 4.5 inches); xxi, 318 pp.
+++ Design: Marbled endpapers and top edge gilt, consistent with high-end library issues of the period.

CONDITION: Very Good — The binding is tight and square with bright gilt on the spine. Text block is clean with light, even age-toning. Minor shelf handling wear to the leather at extremities. The marbled board inlays and endpapers are well-preserved and vibrant.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE --
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. helped define the American public intellectual—playful, skeptical, and profoundly humane. The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table originally appeared in the Atlantic Monthly and served as the magazine's spiritual anchor. This 1902 Dent issue reflects the book's enduring popularity at the turn of the century, when it was revived for a new generation of readers who valued both the 'table talk' style and the craftsmanship of the Fine Press movement.

SUBJECTS: Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., American Essays, Boardinghouse Culture, Fine Bindings, H.M. Brock, Boston Intellectual History, Edwardian Gift Books.

Item #21426

Price: $225.00