A handsome prize-binding containing Tom Brown's School-Days, a beloved 'boys story' by Thomas Hughes. The story is set at the prestigious Rugby School, where the author spent much of his own youth. Tom Brown became the archetype for many late-Victorian schoolboy heroes, a trope that became exceedingly popular as children's books became more easily accessible for working class families. This copy was awarded as a prize through the College of God's Gift in the year 1908.
Generally very good with some fading and cracking to the spine, a few handling scratches, the spine ends and corners rubbed, and the prize plate to the front pastedown. Generally clean inside with generous illustrations by Macfarlane. Bound in green calf leather with a gilt border and college emblem to the front board, the spine ornamented with raised bands, gilt compartments, and a contrasting title label with gilt lettering. Marbled endpapers, gilt dentelles, and marbled block edges finish the binding. 18.5 x 12 cm. Pp. xx, 267.
