The Book

Translated by J.G LOCKHART
Published in 1841 by John Murray and printed by the Vizetelly Bros, is considered by most the first illuminated gift books. The “gift book” was a book publication genre, which was popular in 19th century England.
Every one of the more than 250 pages has color printed borders and/or ornamental letters and vignettes in red, yellow, blue gray etc. for a total of nine colors designed by Owen Jones. It must have been, after Baxter's "Pictorial Album" of 1837 the most colourful and sumptuous book, produced for the gift book market that London had yet seen.
There are also four chromolithography plates (title page and 3 section pages); those early essay are of much lover quality than those in Paradise and the Peri.Other woodcut illustrations are by William Hallen, David Roberts, William Simson, Henry Warren, C. E. Aubrey and William Harvey.
Only 2000 printings were made of the first edition of 1841 and the second.(Text courtesy of Illuminated Manuscripts at alfredom.com)

All the borders that ornate the pages of this book and many of the pen drawings and initial capital letters have been hand drawn in EPS vector format by Alfredo Malchiodi and are available as a clip art CD collection and for instant download at alfredom.com.