The Universal Songster - Or, Museum Of Mirth, Forming The Most Complete, Extensive, And Valuable Collection Of Ancient And Modern Songs In The English Language

This is a handsome, nicely bound first edition set of "THE UNIVERSAL SONGSTER" - or, Museum of Mirth: Forming the Most Complete, Extensive, and Valuable Collection of Ancient and Modern Songs in the English Language. 1825 (volume I) and 1826 (volumes II & III); John Fairburn et al.; London. Complete set in three volumes. Each volume contains a wonderful frontispiece illustration by George Cruikshank. Numerous in-text illustrations throughout the volumes. Fine binding in three-quarter leather with marbled end papers, gilt top page edges, and gilt spines with five raised bands. "With a Copious and Classified Index, Which Will, Under its Various Heads, Refer the Reader to the Following Description of Songs, viz. Ancient, Amatory, Bacchanalian, Comic, Dibdins' Miscellaneous, Duets, Trios, Glees, Chorusses, Irish, Jews, Masonic, Military, Naval, Scotch, Sentimental, Sporting, Welsh, Yorkshire, &c." Condition: Light soiling to the covers. The leather at the top of the vol III spine has chipped away. Some rubbing/peeling of the leather along the edges of the spines. Light wear to the cover corners. All volumes are tightly bound with no cracks and no loose pages. All covers are firmly attached. The pages are lightly age-toned with occasional mild foxing. The frontispiece in vol I has a small, light stain at the lower-outer corner. The vol II half title page, frontispiece, title page, introduction page, and 1st index page each have a light stain at the outer-third edge. A large piece at the lower-outer corner of page 239 within vol III had torn away, then professionally re-attached. Page xvi in vol I has a tear at the upper-inner corner with a piece of tape over it. Overall the set is in Good+ condition.