The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde.

London: Methuen & Co. & Paris: Charles Carrington [The Picture of Dorian Gray], 1908.. FIRST COLLECTED EDITION OF THE WORKS OF OSCAR WILDE. LIMITED EDITION, ONE OF 80 SETS ON JAPANESE VELLUM. 14 volumes. Demy 8vo.(20.5 x 15 cm). Publisher's original limp vellum bindings, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, upper covers with designs by Charles Ricketts, yap edges, top edges gilt. Ex libris William Forbes Morgan with his bookplate to front pastedowns. Some trivial soiling to vellum, Salome with a light splash of red to upper cover, contents exceptionally clean and fresh, overall an excellent, bright set. A fine set of this first collected edition in its most desirable format, on Japanese vellum. "The text is taken in most instances from the last editions issued under the superintendence of the author. In some cases the volumes contain additional matter which had not previously been reprinted, while some of the volumes contain matter here published for the first time...Some of the volumes contain matter whic, owing to the exigencies of copyright and other difficulties, is not included in any other edition" (Mason). Complete sets in the original binding and in such excellent condition seldom appear on the market. "The first collected edition of Wilde's works was issued in 1908 with 14 volumes, 13 with the imprint of Methuen & Co., and one, The Picture of Dorian Gray, with the imprint of Charles Carrington, Paris. The text is taken in most instances from the last editions issued under the superintendence of the author. In some cases the volumes contain additional material which had not previously been reprinted, while some of the volumes contain matter here published for the first time� Some of the volumes contain matter which is not included in any other edition" (Mason, 459). This set collects such classics as Lady Windermere's Fan, The Happy Prince, Salome, and The Importance of Being Earnest, as well as numerous essays and poems. This edition was edited by Robert Ross, Wilde's long-time intimate friend and literary executor. [Mason 421, 424, 426, 428, 430, 432, 434, 436, 438, 440, 442, 444, 446 and 448]