Antique 1893 Poems Here at Home by James Whitcomb Riley – E. W. Kemble Illustrated – The Century Co.
 
A handsome and fully original copy of Poems Here at Home by James Whitcomb Riley, illustrated by E. W. Kemble, and published by The Century Co., New York, in 1893. Bibliographic records confirm this edition and its 1893 Century Co. imprint, along with the illustrated format and 187-page length.
James Whitcomb Riley remains one of the most collected American poets of the late 19th century, and this title has excellent shelf appeal in its original gilt-decorated cloth. It is exactly the sort of book buyers look for when they want an authentic decorative antique volume rather than a later reprint.
From a market standpoint, ordinary cloth copies of this title generally sell in the lower retail range, while nicer or more collectible examples are offered higher by dealers. Standard copies around the market sit roughly in the mid-teens to mid-twenties, while stronger first-edition dealer offerings can move notably higher; deluxe issues are not directly comparable to this regular cloth copy.
Condition report:
Good antique condition overall. The book is complete, with no missing pages, and the binding is tight. The original olive cloth remains attractive, with gilt decoration still visible on the front cover and spine. There is moderate age wear to the covers, including rubbing, scattered soiling, and surface wear. The rear cover shows more noticeable discoloration/streaking. Corners and spine ends are bumped and lightly frayed. Interior pages are toned with age but appear clean and readable from the pages shown. There is an old ownership inscription on the front blank. A very respectable shelf copy of a desirable early Riley title.