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The Song Of Hiawatha, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, (RARE, Decorative Binding, Illustrated), 1898 📜🦌✨

Name: The Song Of Hiawatha, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, (RARE, Decorative Binding, Illustrated), 1898 📜🦌✨
Brand: Wall Antiques
Price: 175.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$175.00

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1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a very rare antique 1898 edition of "The Song of Hiawatha" by the celebrated poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Published by Henry Altemus, this volume presents Longfellow's iconic narrative poem and includes illustrations that bring Hiawatha's legendary life to vibrant life.

This book is a premier acquisition for any collector of 19th-century American poetry or decorative bindings. It is a genuine collector's item due to its:

1898 publication date, which places it in the era of decorative publishing.
Detailed Christmas inscription from the year of its publication.

2. About the Book 📖✍️✨

"The Song of Hiawatha" narrates the legendary life of Hiawatha, an Ojibwe Native American hero.

Through rhythmic verses, Longfellow weaves together tales of Hiawatha's childhood, his adventures, his marriage to Minnehaha, and his contributions to his people. The poem celebrates the beauty of the natural world and the cultural traditions of Native American tribes, blending folklore and mythology to create a narrative that explores themes of heroism, nature, and the interconnectedness of life.

While its accuracy in portraying Native American culture has been debated, the poem remains a significant work of American literature, known for its lyrical language and enduring popularity.

3. About the Author ✍️🏛️✨

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of the most celebrated and influential American poets of the 19th century. His works, including "The Song of Hiawatha," were widely popular for their accessible language, melodic rhythms, and romantic themes.

Longfellow's achievements include popularizing epic narrative poetry in America and establishing himself as a prominent figure in the American literary canon. He was a master storyteller, weaving historical events and folklore into compelling narratives that resonated with a broad audience.

His ability to capture the spirit of American history and culture, while also exploring universal themes of love and loss, earned him lasting acclaim.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

The publication of this book in 1898 places it in the heyday of decorative publishing in the late Victorian era.

Publishers like Henry Altemus produced mass-market books with elaborate, artistic bindings, making aesthetically pleasing volumes available to a broad readership. This book also reflects the romanticized view of Native American culture that was prevalent in late-19th-century American literature.

The book's creation occurred during a period of industrial expansion and social change in the United States. While the country was focused on westward expansion and economic growth, there was also a cultural movement toward romanticism and a fascination with American folklore and history.

This book serves as a cultural artifact of its time, capturing a romanticized perspective on Native American life and the natural world, which stood in contrast to the realities of the era.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This volume is for a curator of late-19th-century American poetry, a scholar of American literary history, or a private collector of decorative book art. It is an ideal acquisition for an individual who values a book's intellectual and historical importance as both a work of literature and a piece of visual art.

This book speaks directly to a buyer who is a historian at heart, and appeals to a collector who is interested in the intersection of poetry, publishing history, and the evolution of American literary tastes.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This 1898 edition of "The Song of Hiawatha" is a valuable and collectible item, particularly for its enduring literary significance and its charming personal history. The book’s attractive pictorial binding, with its intricate gilt and colored stamping, is a beautiful example of late 19th-century decorative book art, making it a highly appealing display piece.

What truly elevates this copy is the detailed Christmas 1898 inscription, which transforms the book into a tangible piece of personal history, revealing its past as a cherished holiday gift.

The book is approximately 127 years old, a testament to its survival.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

This book is a used hardcover edition with a decorative pictorial cloth binding.

Binding: The binding shows visible wear consistent with its age, including rubbing, scuffing, and some loss of the original finish, particularly on the spine and edges. The gilt and colored stamping show some fading but remain largely discernible.
Interior: The pages are age-toned, but the illustrations and text are clear and legible. A handwritten inscription is on the front endpaper, and there are two markings on the inside book page cover, likely child scribbles.

8. Translation of Inscriptions/Ephemera (Conditional) ✍️📜🔤

This book contains a personal inscription on the front endpaper that transforms it into a singular historical artifact. The inscription provides a direct, verifiable link to the book's history. It reveals the book's journey as a Christmas gift.

Transcription: The handwritten inscription on the front endpaper reads: "A Merry Christmas to....1898."

9. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

"The Song of Hiawatha" was an immediate commercial success, selling 50,000 copies in just 18 months and cementing Longfellow’s status as a literary celebrity.
The poem’s unique meter and rhythm, based on the Finnish epic Kalevala, were a departure from traditional English poetry and contributed to its widespread popularity.
The publisher, Henry Altemus, was known for producing aesthetically pleasing and affordable editions of popular works, making this book a piece of accessible art for the American public.
This copy’s two markings on the inside book cover, which appear to be child scribbles, add a unique, humanizing layer to its history.