Books

New York: The Century Company, 1905. Book. Illus. by Maxfield Parrish. Very Good. Hardcover. 1st Edition. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 1st. Edition , by Century 1905, Dark green cloth hardcover with gilt and color embossed cover and spine, 270 page book. with 52 illustrations , 26 are full page color plates by Maxfield Parrish and black & white photo illustrations , all with the tissue guards. Top edge is also gilt with deckled page edges. A seminal work on garden history and design of Italian garden architecture and ornamentation as the more then 75 villlas show. Edith Wharton writing talks about the garden-magic that showcase each home. A rare Maxfield Parrish book that comes complete ( as most copy's of the book have been cut up for the plates ). A very rare and scarce illustrated book . Condition : Very Good plus , with the lightest of edge rubs and corner bumping . A very clean and tight volume. .

Italian Villas and Their Gardens, written by Edith Wharton, provides a detailed discussion of the history, design, and character of Italian villa architecture and its accompanying gardens. Edith Wharton not only provides a scholarly perspective on the subject but also a personal narrative on how these spaces impacted her.

Look for the mention of '1904' as the year of publication, the publisher name 'The Century Company', and check for the absence of later printings or additional dates. These can indicate a first edition.