The Yellow Book. Complete in 14 Vols. Incl. 1949 Selection Harland, Henry Arts: Fine

Octavo. Original illustrated yellow cloth with black double framing on covers, black lettering and tooling on spines. Frontispieces and illustrations with tissue guards. Illustrated title pages. Prime Fin-De-Siecle Quarterly. Complete set of the periodical with illustrations by Sir Frederic Leighton, Aubrey Beardsley, Charles Conder, John Singer Sargent, and contributions by Henry James, William Butler Yeats, H.G. Wells, among many others. Though Oscar Wilde was never published in the Yellow Book, he played an influential role in the circle directly associated with the periodical. Published from 1894 to 1897 The Yellow Book was a noted and one of the leading periodical, influencing and mirroring the cultural world during the 1890s in England. It presented an array of themes. Aubrey Beardsley as art director added to the appeal with his erotic drawings. Includes volume of the 1949 selection with dustjacket, compiled by Norman Denny. "The Yellow Book is now a part of literary history. When the first of its quarterly volumes appeared, in April 1894, under the editorship of Henry Harland and Aubrey Beardsley, it was to some people an offense deserving of suppression by Act of Parliament, and to others, notably the young, a ray of light in a stuffy world. It has been called 'decadent,' 'fin de siècle' and a variety of other names, kinder and less kind, all of which suggests that it was at any rate alive. And here it is in one volume which, since it may be fairly described as a summary of all its volumes, should enable the reader to decide for himself what name to call it." (Publisher) Vol. I third edition, this with brief inked inscription on front endpaper, all others firsts. Some light wear along edges of bindings and rubbed. Light foxing of edges and periodically on tissue guards and and in margins. Cover of volume VIII vertically lightly cracked near spine. Vol. VII cover lightly soiled. Vol. VII with small circular discoloration on back cover, effecting illustration and some text. Dustjacket of 1949 volume with 3 x 3/8" chip along upper left corner of front cover and part of spine, and front endpapers and inside front cover with light foxing. Very good- to near fine condition