Overview
This is a beautifully preserved, lavishly decorated edition of Francis Wey's classic travelogue of Rome, revised by Maria Hornor Lansdale.
Identification
Francis Wey's 'Rome' Illustrated Travel Guide, John C. Winston Co. Edition
Photo reference
4 uploaded photos
Story
Francis Wey's 'Rome' was a highly popular 19th-century travelogue. The John C. Winston Co. of Philadelphia acquired the printing plates from Henry T. Coates & Co. in the early 1900s, reissuing these lavishly bound editions to appeal to the burgeoning American middle class's appetite for European culture and armchair travel. Turn-of-the-century decorative cloth travel books have a steady but niche market, primarily driven by interior decorators and casual collectors seeking 'shelf appeal' and historical charm.
Maker / Origin
Unattributed
Condition & Value
The seller notes the presence of the map, which is a critical completeness factor for travel guides of this era. Assuming standard 'Very Good' antiquarian condition with intact hinges and bright gilt, the item sits comfortably in the mid-range.
Full Research
See what it's actually worth.
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Market Analysis
Turn-of-the-century decorative cloth travel books have a steady but niche market, primarily driven by interior decorators and casual collectors seeking 'shelf appeal' and historical charm. Standard copies without rare dust jackets generally hover in the $30-$60 range on platforms like eBay and AbeBooks, while exceptional, pristine copies can command significant premiums.
Value Drivers
▲ Presence of the original map confirms completeness and appeals to traditional book collectors.
▲ Highly decorative gilt-stamped cloth binding provides strong aesthetic 'shelf appeal'.
▲ Established secondary market floor of $35-$45 for Very Good copies of this specific title.
Concerns
▼ Unverified hinge and binding condition — cracked hinges or loose pages would significantly reduce desirability.
▼ Unverified gilt condition — faded or rubbed cover decorations diminish the book's primary aesthetic value.
▼ Presumed absence of original dust jacket or slipcase caps the high-end collector premium.
Best Venue
List on a broad secondary marketplace like eBay or Etsy, where decorative antique books perform well. Highlight the presence of the map in the title and take clear, well-lit photos of the gilt cover decorations, as aesthetic shelf appeal is the primary selling point. An asking price of $55 with 'Best Offer' enabled is a solid starting posture.
Upside Potential
If the book is in exceptionally pristine condition with bright, unrubbed gilt, crisp pages, and potentially an original dust jacket or slipcase (like the $210 Coates comp), the value could shift into the $150+ antiquarian collector tier.
▾Also found — market-range context
Related comps outside the valuation band· 1 comp
Surfaced during research but not used to anchor the valuation — wrong form, species, era, or no published price. Shown so the market range around this item is visible.
Also found — market-range context
Related comps outside the valuation band· 1 comp
- AbeBooks (Yesterday's Gallery, ABAA)Rome by WEY, Francis: Hardcover (1897) | Yesterday's Gallery, ABAA - AbeBooksLink could not be verified.$14