Longfellow Poems Ballads 1890 Illustrated

📖 Poems and Ballads by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1890, Worthington Co.) — A comprehensive illustrated anthology gathering the foundational poetry of America’s most beloved 19th-century poet, issued in an ornate late-Victorian decorated binding with full gilt edges.

QUICK FACTS

• Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
• Publisher: Worthington Co., 747 Broadway, New York
• Year: 1890 (single edition printing)
• Format: Hardcover in blue cloth with gilt stamping
• Pages: 295 | ISBN: None (pre-ISBN era)
• Condition: Very Good- to Very Good — full report below

THE STORY

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was the most popular American poet of the 19th century and one of the celebrated Fireside Poets — a group of New England writers whose work was widely read aloud in American homes. A Harvard professor and the first American to translate Dante’s Divine Comedy into English, Longfellow shaped the nation’s literary identity with poems that became part of the American consciousness. “A Psalm of Life” was among the most widely circulated poems in 19th-century America, and “Paul Revere’s Ride” entered the national mythology.

This volume gathers Longfellow’s essential early work across six sections: Voices of the Night, Earlier Poems, Translations, Ballads and Other Poems, Miscellaneous, and Poems on Slavery. A note on the preliminary page states “This volume contains only the Poems now out of copyright,” indicating this was an abridged edition shaped by the copyright laws of the period. The collection includes canonical works such as “A Psalm of Life,” “The Wreck of the Hesperus,” “The Skeleton in Armor,” “The Village Blacksmith,” “Excelsior,” and the complete Poems on Slavery sequence.

THIS EDITION

Published in 1890 by Worthington Co. at 747 Broadway, New York — eight years after Longfellow’s death — this illustrated edition was part of Worthington’s line of affordable, attractively bound classics for the American middle-class market. Richard Worthington, a Canadian-born publisher, operated as R. Worthington (1867-1885) before incorporating as Worthington Co. (1885-1893), specializing in juvenile series and imported English editions alongside gift-book poetry collections like this one. The 1890 date places this in the final years of the Worthington imprint.

COVER ART, ILLUSTRATIONS, AND DESIGN

The binding is a deep blue cloth decorated with ornate gilt stamping in gold, red, and black — characteristic of high Victorian gift-book production. The front cover features a central rectangular panel with a red background bearing a floral motif of blue flowers and gold accents, framed by multiple decorative borders of stylized leaves and repeating patterns. “LONGFELLOW” appears in large decorative gold lettering above the panel, with “ILLUSTRATED” on a blue ribbon banner below. The spine reads “POEMS BY LONGFELLOW” with “ILLUSTRATED” and “R. WORTHINGTON” at the foot, surrounded by floral motifs in gold and red. All three page edges are fully gilt, retaining a lustrous gold sheen with light surface scuffing. The floral endpapers are intact in Victorian pattern. A frontispiece engraved portrait of Longfellow faces the title page, accompanied by a protective tissue guard that remains in place. Period engravings throughout illustrate key poems, including a striking night-sky scene with a cloaked figure and crescent moon (for “Voices of the Night”), a convivial feast scene for “The Happiest Land,” and a classical angel with scythe. Greek text from Euripides appears in the Translations section, alongside Longfellow’s rendering of “Beatrice” from Dante’s Divine Comedy.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Longfellow was the first American to receive a commemorative bust in the Poets’ Corner at Westminster Abbey (1868), a recognition of his international influence on English-language poetry
• The Poems on Slavery section, first published in 1842, represents Longfellow’s early abolitionist stance — written before the Fugitive Slave Act made anti-slavery advocacy politically dangerous in New England
• Worthington Co.’s illustrated gift editions represent the democratization of fine book production in Gilded Age America, making ornate Victorian bindings accessible beyond wealthy collectors

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? An 1890 illustrated edition published by Worthington Co., 747 Broadway, New York. The title page confirms the publisher, date, and “Illustrated” designation. This is a single edition printing — not a later reprint.

What condition is it in? Very Good- to Very Good overall — full condition report below.

Is this a complete collection? No. A preliminary note states “This volume contains only the Poems now out of copyright,” making this an abridged edition reflecting 1890s copyright law. It includes the major canonical works across six sections.

FOR COLLECTORS

FOR COLLECTORS

The combination of the elaborate gilt-stamped Victorian cloth binding, full gilt edges, intact floral endpapers, frontispiece with tissue guard, and period engravings makes this a strong representative example of late-19th-century American gift-book production. The Worthington Co. imprint at 747 Broadway dates the firm to its final years (1885-1893), adding publish-history interest for collectors of American imprints. The abridged copyright-status note on the preliminary page is a documentary artifact of 1890s publishing law, when U.S. copyright terms determined which works entered the public domain and which required separate licensing.

Condition Report

Overall Grade: Very Good- (VG-)/Very Good (VG)

Cover and Spine: Bright blue cloth with gold, red, and black decorative stamping. Some rubbing to the board edges and corners. Also at the spine ends.

Text Block and Pages: Lightly age-toned with clean text throughout. Page edges retain a lustrous gold sheen with light surface scuffing. Frontispiece illustration and protective tissue guard intact. Gift inscription dated 12/28/07 in front endpapers.

Binding: Square and tight; floral endpapers remain complete with strain at hinges, front hinge starting.

See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

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