Romola – Volume II – George Eliot – Ed. Dr. Guido Biagi (T. Fisher Unwin, 1907)

Note: This is Volume II only — not a complete set. Buyers seeking both volumes should note that Volume I is listed separately.

This T. Fisher Unwin edition (1907) is of interest to collectors of George Eliot, Edwardian illustrated books, and Victorian and Edwardian decorative bindings.

About: A good copy in the original sage green cloth with gilt lettering and gilt Florentine lily (fleur-de-lis) and cross blocking to the spine, and gilt title and decorative blocking to the front board. Boards worn and rubbed throughout with surface scuffing and some fading; gilt blocking present and legible. Spine with wear to head and foot; cloth rubbed. Rear board with wear, scuffing and some cloth loss/fraying at the spine joint; boards sound. Text block toned at page edges as expected for 1907; photogravure illustrations present and clean throughout; internally sound. A solid and displayable copy of this attractive Edwardian illustrated Eliot in its characteristic green and gilt binding.

Details:

• Title: Romola — Volume II
• Author: George Eliot
• Editor: Dr. Guido Biagi, Librarian of the Laurentian Library, Florence
• Publisher: T. Fisher Unwin, Adelphi Terrace, London
• Publication Date: 1907 (MCMVII)
• Illustrations: One hundred and nine photogravures of scenes and characters, selected by the editor
• Binding: Hardcover, original sage green cloth with gilt lettering and Florentine lily blocking
• Volumes: Volume II only (of two)
• Condition: Fair
• Dust Jacket Condition: None issued

Synopsis: Volume II of the T. Fisher Unwin illustrated edition of George Eliot's Romola, edited by Dr. Guido Biagi of the Laurentian Library, Florence, with photogravure illustrations. In the attractive original sage green and gilt decorated cloth binding of the series. Sold as a single volume.

Review: George Eliot's Romola (1862–63) is her most ambitious historical novel, set in late 15th-century Florence during the turbulent years of Savonarola's rise and fall. The novel follows Romola, the daughter of a blind Florentine scholar, as she navigates the competing claims of duty, faith, and love against the backdrop of political and religious upheaval. Eliot's meticulous historical research — she spent years studying Florentine history and culture — and her psychological depth make it one of the most intellectually serious works of Victorian fiction. This T. Fisher Unwin edition of 1907, edited by Dr. Guido Biagi of the Laurentian Library in Florence and illustrated with one hundred and nine photogravures, is a distinguished Edwardian production of the text.