Author: Victor Hugo. Illustrated by Luc-Olivier Merson and A. de Lemud.
Title: Notre-Dame de Paris.
Publisher: Boston, Little, Brown, and Company, 1888. Complete 2 volumes Set.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7.5 x 5 inches.
Pages: xvi-349 pages, vi-408 pages + publisher's catalogue.
Binding: Attractive and very good, near fine, publisher’s original blue cloth binding, gilt-decorated spines with geometric patterning and gilt titles (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. top edges gilt. A very attractive and well-preserved decorative binding.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light toning - as shown).
Illustrations: Illustrated with engraved frontispieces and plates by Luc-Olivier Merson and A. de Lemud. All illustrations present and complete.

Estimate: (USD 350 – 500).

The books: Nice early illustrated English edition ofNotre-Dame de Parispublished by Little, Brown, and Company in 1888, issued in two handsome volumes. Beyond the novel itself, this edition is particularly prized for its enhanced textual completeness, including material not present in earlier English translations, as noted in the publisher’s preface.

The illustrations by Luc-Olivier Merson and A. de Lemud bring a refined, atmospheric vision to Hugo’s medieval Paris, complementing the novel’s architectural obsession and emotional intensity. The decorative gilt spines and gilt top edges give the set a strong shelf presence, making it both a collector’s copy and a visually striking library set.

The author: Victor Hugo stands as one of the towering figures of nineteenth-century literature. WithNotre-Dame de Paris(1831), he not only created one of the most enduring novels of French Romanticism, but also played a crucial role in shaping public awareness of medieval architecture and heritage preservation. The novel’s influence famously contributed to the eventual restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral itself, securing Hugo’s legacy far beyond literature alone.

The illustrators: Luc-Olivier Merson was a highly respected French painter and illustrator, known for his historical and literary imagery, while A. de Lemud contributed complementary engravings marked by narrative clarity and period detail. Their work in this edition captures both the grandeur and the human tragedy at the heart of Hugo’s masterpiece, making this set especially appealing to collectors of illustrated classics.