Delgado - The "Fin de Siècle" Series of of Private Greetings Cards, 1895-6.

The "Fin-de-Siecle" Series of Private Greetings Cards, 1895-6. Printer's sample book, 4to, folding leaf with prices etc, 31 leaves with 115 mounted specimens, 23cm, G. Delgado, London, 1895.

Embossed and hand-coloured greetings cards, mostly elaborately printed in colours heightened with gold or silver, at least two printed on goatskin vellum. A few with some photographic reproduction, but mostly with floral themes, very Mikado and modishly 1890s. Bound in full cloth-of-gold (a little rubbed and soiled at extremities), titled and decorated in black. One sample removed. A fascinating, probably quite unique collection, in very good condition.

In appearance - both physical and aesthetic - reminiscent of The Yellow Book, a resemblance which I presume was not supposed to escape contemporaries.