The Ambassadors

418pp. Quarter bound in deep blue genuine calf leather over cloth, blocked, lettered and embellished in gilt gold, three raised bands to spine. All edges gilded with 22 karat gold. Marbled endpapers. Satin ribbon marker bound in. Full page illustrations by Mitchell Hooks. Printed on high quality, acid free paper (so the pages will not brown over time) and pages sewn in rather than glued. A truly, gorgeously handsome volume, designed to become an heirloom. A large and heavy volume which may require an additional charge for overseas shipping. The Franklin Library designed and bound books with unsurpassed skill in achieving a premium-quality product: each is 'a wonder', in the finest traditions of bookbinding. [ The Franklin Library, before its demise in 2000, produced books to various different standards in various different series: it can be hard, for instance, to distinguish between its genuine leather and faux-leather bindings, and some volumes came with silk moire endpapers rather than paper. We see may dealers' listings giving incorrect or ambiguous information (or none), so advise Franklin Library collector's to be care. There's a guide to Franklin Library editions and their identification on our blog.]