Scarce Limited Edition of Pictures in the Collection of P. A. B. Widener, Bound by Riviere & Son

P. A. B. Widener; W. Roberts. PICTURES IN THE COLLECTION OF P. A. B. WIDENER AT LYNNEWOOD HALL, ELKINS PARK, PENNSYLVANIA. BRITISH AND MODERN FRENCH SCHOOLS. Philadelphia: privately printed, 1915. Limited edition; no. 76 of 200 total copies "printed for private circulation only." Bound, as issued, by Riviere & Son in full red morocco with French fillet, gilt-decorated and lettered spine with raised bands, silk moire endpapers and doublures, with binder's signature on turn-in and gilt top edge; in later custom red cloth-covered and fabric-lined slipcase. Large folio; with introduction by W. Roberts followed by (52) plates.

Folio 18 1/4 x 15 in.; DOA 18 3/4 x 15 1/4 in.

With bookplate of Daniel H. Farr, likely the successful New York-based art and antiques dealer. Once purchased from the prominent rare book company, Bauman Rare Books.

Peter Arrell Brown Widener (1834-1915) was a wealthy Philadelphia-based art collector and businessman. The art that he purchased filled his Neoclassical mansion that was built just outside the city in Elkins Park. Today it is one of the largest historic houses in the U.S. Together with his son, Joseph, Widener collected European paintings, Asian art, and more, art that now comprises the Widener Collection at the National Gallery of Art.

This book is one of three volumes devoted to Widener's collection. As it shows, he purchased work by significant artists, and pieces that are now extremely well-known, such as John Constable's The White Horse. A sampling of other artists in this volume include Gainsborough, Hogarth, Reynolds, Turner, Corot, Whistler, Courbet, Degas, and Manet.

Boards with only light edge wear, spine with rubbing and creasing at bands and mild wear at ends; joints rubbed with small areas of cracking starting, cracking at hinges that appears mostly superficial; unfortunate wear to endpapers with light scuffing and minor tear at front doublure, rear free endpaper with tears and partial separation of silk, and front free endpaper with vertical fold and three-quarters of the silk present but tattered and no longer attached, erased pencil signature on verso; leaves with occasional light grime, edge toning, and offsetting, with a rare spot of foxing, overall a truly beautiful and clean interior; in slipcase with some edge wear, scratches, stains, discoloration, and toning, the opening with rubbing at ends and small areas of separation at (2) joints, fabric interior with some light grime and red staining from leather, still very sturdy. A lovely and scarce volume; very good in about very good slipcase.