Complete 4 Volume Set Bound As 2
Published by Cassell, Petter And Galpin: London 1870
Profusely Illustrated - Coloured Plates - All Present
"
This richly illustrated Cassell's Household Guide is one of the most comprehensive and influential Victorian-era domestic encyclopaedias, designed to serve as an authoritative reference for everyday life in the nineteenth-century household. First issued by Cassell, Petter and Galpin in London around 1870, the work reflects the Victorian ideal of rational order, improvement, and self-education, offering practical guidance across an extraordinary range of subjects. Intended for a broad middle-class readership, it sought to place expert knowledge within reach of the home, addressing both the material and moral dimensions of domestic and social economy.
Arranged encyclopaedically across four volumes (here bound as two), the Guide covers cookery, household management, health and hygiene, animal husbandry, gardening, decorative arts, crafts, etiquette, and basic scientific and technical instruction. One of its most striking features is the profusion of illustrations throughout, including finely engraved diagrams and numerous coloured plates depicting food presentation, interior decoration, conservatories, aquariums, and domestic arts. These visual elements not only enhance the practical instruction but also provide a vivid window into Victorian tastes, aesthetics, and daily routines, making the set as visually engaging as it is informative.
As a complete four-volume work with all coloured plates present, this set represents a particularly desirable survival of a heavily used household reference. It holds strong appeal for collectors of Victorian illustrated books, social historians, designers, and those interested in the material culture of the nineteenth-century home, especially admirers of Victorian domestic life, historical cookery, and decorative arts.
General wear and fading to covers and spines as shown. Inside hinges split however covers are strong and binding generally is good. There are a couple of loose index pages and 2 missing pages at end of volume 2 with index concluding at 'M'. Pages typically clean and bright with typical age toning. All illustrations present. Both books present exceptionally well and are in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
