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Copyright Details
No copyright date appears on the title page (typical for Federal Book Company reprints).
This is not a first edition (the novel first appeared in 1885).
The copy is a circa 1900 decorative gift binding reprint, issued at a time when publishers marketed attractive, affordable editions for home libraries.
📘 Book History
Diana of the Crossways is one of George Meredith’s most widely read novels. First published in 1885, it blends politics, society, and gender commentary through the story of Diana Warwick.
The book was loosely inspired by the real-life scandal involving Caroline Norton, whose private letter was leaked during political turmoil—making the novel both timely and controversial in its period.
Federal Book Company’s decorative editions were not scholarly or limited printings; instead, they were meant for popular circulation and decorative display, often with:
Cloth boards in bold colors
Oval pastedown color plates
Embossed Art Nouveau border designs
These editions are collectible as examples of turn-of-the-century decorative publishers’ bindings.
📚 Description of Contents
This edition contains:
Meredith’s full text, divided into chapters
Standard Federal Book Company typography
No introduction, footnotes, or illustrations beyond the front-cover color pastedown
The novel itself explores:
British political society
Constraints on women’s agency
Scandal, marriage, ambition, and reputation
It remains one of Meredith’s most anthologized works.
📦 Physical Condition
Covers
Deep red cloth with white stamped Art Nouveau design
Full-color oval pastedown illustration (moderate rubbing, still visible)
Edge and corner wear, rubbing to surfaces, small scuffs
Interior
Heavy toning to pages (common for this publisher’s inexpensive paper)
Small edge chips, light staining
Hinges appear intact, though inner spine has fraying
Overall: Good– condition, structurally stable but with typical cosmetic wear.
⭐ Special Features
Art Nouveau decorative binding
Oval color pastedown illustration
Turn-of-the-century gift edition
Example of American decorative book design circa 1900
These bindings appeal to collectors of vintage decorative cloth, even if not rare in the strict bibliographic sense.
