1873 - James Malcolm Rymer - EDITH THE CAPTIVE - Torrid "Penny Dreadful", 2 vols

Description: EDITH THE CAPTIVE or THE ROBBERS OF EPPING FOREST An epic historical melodrama from the pen of James Malcolm Rymer, one of the most popular and prolific 19th-century authors of anonymous "penny dreadfuls", the precursors of pulp fiction. Rymer is credited, along with Bram Stoker and John Polidori, with popularizing the vampire legend. Edith the Captive was published serially in weekly installments over the course of two years in 1861-62, then gathered together in these two illustrated volumes, first published in 1873. The books were issued in softcover but rebound in hardcovers (somewhat inexpertly) shortly afterwards. The covers show general handling and some soiling, as seen in the photos; the spines are faded and have signs of reglueing. The bindings remain firm. There is a tear and an owner inscription to the first leaf of volume one. The texts are slightly musty and have touches of foxing and staining, mostly at the edges; the interiors have some minor flaws but are in very good shape overall. The texts were trimmed close to the margins of several pages, either when printed or when rebound, resulting in the loss of some first and last letters -- but really not affecting legibility (see second photo). In all a decent set of a rare and highly entertaining title, well below the usual price. Each book measures 6.25" X 9.5", each runs 416 pages; about 100 illustrations in all. Ships promptly & securely.

Price: 195 USD

Location: Idyllwild, California

End Time: 2024-12-22T21:20:50.000Z

Shipping Cost: 6.88 USD