The Coinage of the British Empire by Henry Noel Humphreys, 1854

Available to purchase on eBay: liberobscurus.
 
Henry Noel Humphreys The Coinage of the British Empire: An Outline of the Progress of the Coinage in Great Britain and Her Dependencies, from the Earliest Period to the Present Time, 1st edition, printed by Nathaniel Cooke (London), 1854.
 
Containing twelve chromolithographic plates and an additional twelve (uncoloured) lithographic plates: “illustrated by fac-similes of the coins of each period, worked in gold, silver, and bronze”. Some offsetting of the plates to the facing leaf of the text. Beautiful red marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Bound in the original, elaborate publisher’s black papier-maché binding, displaying a heraldic coat of arms, surrounded by respective national blooms of Britain – a rose, shamrock, thistle, and acorns. The binding is pierced through, revealing the underlying red silk background, creating a rich and sophisticated appearance. Both upper and lower covers are the same.
 
The papier-maché binding is a rarity, and compliments the grandeur of the Victorian period and the subject matter of this volume, with this material an impressive and detailed binding is able to be achieved. Naturally, there is some minor chipping and cracking throughout the cover, which is to be expected with papier-maché bindings of this age. It is entirely original, and has not been rebound, a particularly uncommon feature of copies of this book. The text itself is clean and unmarked (aside from the offsetting on leaves containing a plate, as indicated). In all, an elaborate and beautiful copy of this book.