[SIGNED; JOHN SPARROW PROVENANCE; OXFORD INTEREST]
ROSSETTI, Christina. Verses. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge & New York: E. & J. B. Young, 1893.
SIGNED; FIRST COLLECTED EDITION (130x 190 mm) pp. 236, [4]. Handmade paper, all different sizes to create an archaic feel, ruled in pink, excentuating this. Original dark blue buckram binding with gilded letters for the title & author, minor rubbing. From the the important collection of bibliophile John Sparrow (bookplate on front pastedown). Some minor pencil notations in margins. Owner (perhaps Sparrow?) has tipped in a printing of pastel portrait of Rossetti along with caption “After the drawing of Dante Gabriel Rossetti.” Also tipped in, a signature reading “Sincerely yours, Christina G. Rossetti.”Overall VERY GOOD condition.
The book eventually went into the hands of John Hanbury Agnus Sparrow (1906-1992), Warden of All Souls College, Oxford, barrister, scholar of Latin & literature, and lover of books. (More on his fascinating life: https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/51324)