Nineteen (19) volumes of Washington Irving's Works. 1st-16th items: THE WORKS OF WASHINGTON IRVING, Vol. I-XVI, New Edition, Revised, published by G.P. Putnam, New York, 1860-61. 17th-19th items: THE LIFE AND LETTERS OF WASHINGTON IRVING, Vol. I-III, edited by Pierre M. Irving, published by G. P. Putnam, New York, 1866. All items hardcover 12mos, marble edged pages; all volumes with steel-engraved frontispieces with tissue paper guards, hardbound in three quarter light brown leather with marbled paper sides, re-backed with brown leather spines with gilt lettering, five raised hubs, marbled end papers. All items approximately 7 3/4" H x 5 1/4" W x 1 1/2" D. Provenance: The collection of Gary Glesser of Loudon, Tennessee, by descent from his grandparents, Captain Hoyt and Rachel Holton of Toledo, Ohio. Hoyt Holton became, at age 17, the youngest captain of a Great Lakes Freighter. In the 1960s, Captain Holton participated in a 26-day Admiral Byrd Society trip replicating the explorer's famous transpolar expedition, during which he met the Pope and Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschev. Many items in the collection were brought back as souvenirs from that journey and other frequent voyages.

PROVENANCE: See description for provenance information.

CONDITION: Overall good condition. Covers with wear, damp staining, rubbing to leather, areas of loss, rippling/lifting to paper sides. Many volumes with stiff hinges, rendering them slightly difficult to open. Pages in overall good, legible condition with toning, front few and back pages with areas of damp staining, toning impressions, few foxing spots. 17th-19th items: Volume II and III with warping to back covers, Volume III front cover is starting to become separated from spine.