Beschreibung:

FIRST EDITION, 8vo (218 x 134mm.), wood-engraved frontispiece of Difference Engine No. 1, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR TO EMPRESS EUGENIE ON FRONT ENDPAPER ("To her Majesty | Eugenie | Empress of the French | most respectfully presented | by the author"), near identical autograph presentation on final endpaper, SPECIAL ROYAL PRESENTATION BINDING BY RIVIERE, with an all-over gilt strapwork design incorporating various leafy and floral tools, circles and dots, enclosing Empress Eugénie's coat of arms with eagle at the centre, all edges gilt, silk endleaves, inner dentelles, modern folding cloth box, some minor spotting