[PAUL, HERBERT]. Queen Anne. London: Goupil & Co., 1906.
First edition. Limited edition no. 137 of 800 copies - stated on limitation page. Hardcover. Leather-bound. Folio (330 x 260 x 60 mm.), pp. 202, (1) + plates with captioned tissue-guards outside the pagination. Bound in stunning full crimson morocco by Henry Sotheran (signed on the front endleaf with an ink pallet). Elaborate gilt ruling and tooling to spine and covers incorporating Royal symbols. Gilt inner dentelles. Top edge gilt, other edges uneven. Hand-marbled endpapers. Half-title page present, limitation page to verso printed in red and black. Title-page printed in red and black with printers device. With 40 superb full-page plates including a hand-coloured full portrait frontispiece of Queen Anne. Chapter head- and tail-pieces. Decorative initials. Silk ribbon marker. Printing and engraving by Manzi, Joyant & Co. at Asnieres-sur-Seine near Paris. Provenance: Armorial bookplate of John Dawson Mayne to front pastedown. Condition: NEAR FINE. Binding tight and secure the hinges perfectly intact and covers beautifully preserved. Contents largely fresh and clean with faint foxing confined to prelims. An exquisite example.
Notes: First limited edition presented in a spectacular fine binding and lavishly illustrated throughout with numerous tissue-guarded duo-tone engravings taken from portraits of that were being held at Windsor Castle and Kensington Palace. An important work on the reign of Queen Anne (1665-1714) who ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, two of her realms, the kingdoms of England and Scotland, united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain. This work focuses on the Politics during Queen Anne's reign, the literature and also the society. Written by Herbert Paul, who mentions in the preface that this work was proof read by famed historian and children's author, Andrew Lang.
