Books

London: George Allen, 1897. First edition. Three Quarters Crushed Morocco. Marbled pastedown. Near Fine. One of 1,000 unnumbered sets printed. 4to. 27.5 by 22 cm. 19 parts bound in 6 volumes. Pictorial pink wrappers bound in. Plates, headpieces and tailpieces by Crane. Gilt rose and leaf pattern in four spine compartments, lettering in two.

The Faerie Queene is a celebrated epic poem by Edmund Spenser, first published in 1590. The poem is an allegory praising Queen Elizabeth I and reflecting the values and ideologies of Elizabethan England. It is one of the longest poems in the English language and is renowned for its richly imaginative narrative and moral allegory.

The first edition of 'The Faerie Queene' can be identified by the presence of the original publisher's colophon and the year '1590' on the title page.