[À KEMPIS, THOMAS]. The Imitation of Christ. London: Chapman & Hall, Ltd., 1910.
NEW EDITION. Leather-bound; hardcover; octavo (19 x 13.5 x 3.5 cm); pp. [8], 293. English text. Stunning Arts & Crafts binding in full black morocco, with the tooled cover laid out as a frame, with a border of linked rectangular units in double gilt lines surrounding a broad central panel, dominated by a tall gilt cross formed of triple fillets with cusped terminals, the centre of the cross with four small interlaced ovals & borders with inlays in red, purple, green, and gold, providing a "stained glass" effect. Five bands to spine with author to second compartment and remaining compartments with a gouged interlaced ring knot design with small dotted accents. Wide turn-ins, gilt-tooled with a continuous gouged strapwork border, the field worked with an elongated chain of linked ovals and small knots at intervals, with the four corners finished with a similar inlaid oval & border design (in purple, red, green, and gold/yellow). Hand-marbled endpapers in olive mottled effect, all page edges gilt, half-title, portrait frontispiece. Condition: NEAR FINE. Binding tight and secure, the hinges and joints perfectly intact, covers beautifully preserved. A few trivial fox spots to the prelims and mild offsetting at the frontispiece, otherwise fine and without previous ownership markings. Scarce thus.
Notes: A wonderful copy of this important Christian devotional book by Thomas À Kempis, in a beautiful unsigned Art & Crafts Binding. This edition part of "The Books of the Verulam Club" series, with the text divided into four books of detailed spiritual instructions: (i) "Admonitions For A Spiritual Life", (ii) "Tending To Things Internal", (iii) "On Internal Consolation", and (iv) "Concerning The Sacrament".
