Old Christmas by Washington Irving - 1876

London: Macmillan and Co. , 1876 . First edition. Cloth. Very Good Indeed. 7.5" by 5". R. Caldecott . A beautifully illustrated first edition of Washington Irving's 'Old Christmas', with sketches by Caldecott throughout. First edition. Bound in the publisher's original cloth, with bright gilt pictorial detailing to the front cover. A charming collection of five festive themed short stories showing a typical old-fashioned Christmas at a English manor, written whilst the author was staying in England. Written by American author and historian Washington Irving, who was primarily remembered for his short stories, with Rip Van Winkle' and 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow', being his most widely known. He also wrote biographies on figures such as Oliver Goldsmith, George Washington and Muhammed.Illustrated with seven plates and ninety-eight vignettes by British artist, Randolph Caldecott, who was widely known for his popular illustrations to accompany children's books. Collated, complete. Bound in the publisher's original cloth. Externally, excellent, with light fading to the spine and minor shelf wear. Hinges are slightly strained, with cords visible. Bookseller embossed stamp to the front endpaper. Internally, firmly bound, with bright and clean pages. Very Good Indeed