The House of Seven Gables. By Nathaniel Hawthorne. Illustrated by Valenti Angelo. Illustrated Edition. Heritage Press. New York, 1935.

The House of Seven Gables is a Gothic novel set in New England where the eponymous house sets the stage for gloomy, supernatural events. Through flashbacks and hauntings, Nathaniel Hawthorne constructs this narrative true to the Gothic genre. It was an immediate success upon publication in 1851, and alongside The Scarlet Letter, it elevated Hawthorne’s legacy, helping him become one of America’s greatest early novelists. This illustrated edition is a terrific representation of the work. It contains Valenti Angelo’s color illustrations atop each chapter heading.

This illustrated edition is in very good condition. In the original quarter leather and silver gilt stamped spine, and color illustrations to both boards. Boards very good with only minor soiling and rubbing, mainly to edges, and chipping to top corners. Text block about-fine, only former owner’s bookplate to front pastedown. Speckled edges. In the original slipcase, near fine with only minor fading and rubbing to edges.

A very good illustrated edition of Hawthorne’s classic Gothic fiction.