PIANOFORTE SONATAS by Beethoven, L. Van. Ernst Pauer, Editor - 1880

London: Augener & Co., 1880 Three Folio Volumes, 'Special Edition'. Highly embellished bindings with gilt, blue & black stamped decorations on spines & front covers; blind stamped borders on back covers; ornate end-papers. Magnificently ornate & scarce fine binding set of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas. The sonatas are edited by Ernst Pauer, the Austrian pianist, composer & teacher. There is no printed publication date, however the slightly beveled boards & profuse front cover gilt decorations are typical of bindings of the late Victorian period. In any case, the '1891' date from the modest presentation inscription to the flyleaf recto suggests a minimum age. Each volume with gilt text block edges, ornate end-papers & title pages, & a themed index. Vol I also has a tissue guarded fine engraving frontispiece of Beethoven & an eight page set of historical notes. The notation itself is very clear & widely spaced -ideal for reading from a distance. Victorian sheet music bindings are often highly ornate & intricate, but we have never seen anything as embellished or as spectacular as this particular set. Significant portions of the gilt are stamped into the cloth as fine lines, which give the impression of varying shades of gold when viewed from different angles. The central 'shining star' piece on the fronts. is especially effective. Apart from gilt, decorations are also stamped in light-blue & black. It is likely these volumes were issued as a special & very limited edition. A simply exquisite set of Beethoven's Sonatas in wonderfully elaborate Victorian styling in essentially fine condition showing very light use; tight with text block & Pages in fine condition; neat presentation inscription to flyleaf recto repeated on the title pages of Vols. II & III. Vol. I : frontis., 8, 1-231; Vol. II: [1] 232-447; Vol. III: [1], 448-640 Folio (33.5cm X 27.5cm), Ships 7.6kg. 1st Edition.