Franklin Mint and Easton Press: Fine Bindings on a Budget

Although many of the Franklin Mint and the very similar Easton Press publications are not always highly regarded as investment quality collectibles, They are without exception handsome, even sumptuous editions of the greatest works ever written in non-fiction as well as fiction. They are bound in decorated full leather, and are each especially illustrated by some of the premier illustrators and artists of the past and present. Each element of each production, from the endpapers to the design of the decorations on the book is chosen by the book designer to reflect the tone, content of the work and the times in which it was written.

These books make excellent affordable alternatives to higher priced vintage leather bound editions that are often very difficult to come by in attractive condition and often lack one or more of the features that each Franklin Mint or Easton Press publications include: full leather gilt decorated bindings, high quality paper, decorated or silk-like endpapers, raised bands, original illustrations, ribbon bookmark, etc. They often include special introductions by well-known authors or scholars, as well as the qualifications and background of the illustrator and the book designer chosen for each work.

Just recently, we have been fortunate to obtain over 200 of these volumes. They are works from Franklin Mint's GREAT BOOKS OF THE WESTERN WORLD and GREATEST WORKS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, and Easton Press's LIBRARY OF GREAT LIVES and 100 GREATEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN. Some of the great classics available are as diverse as a 6 vol. set of Gibbon's DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE illustrated with the complete VEDUTE DI ROMA by Giavonni Piranesi; THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE in 7 volumes; LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott with pages and pages of line and wash illustrations by Henry Pitz; Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE illustrated with 42 line drawings by the great children's illustrator, Helen Sewell; SUMMA THEOLOGICA by Thomas Acquinas illustrated with steel engravings, A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND by Flannery O'Connor, and the WRITINGS of Hippocrates illustrated with medieval and renaissance woodcuts.

If you are looking for the perfect gift for yourself, a loved one, or a professional associate, why not a beautifully planned and meticulously designed copy of their favorite novel or seminal work in their field of study or interest?

Copyright 1996 - 2001 C. Dickens Fine, Rare and Collectible Books, Atlanta, Georgia