Beautifully illustrated set of "VENETIAN LIFE" by William Dean Howells. 1895; Houghton, Mifflin and Company; Boston and New York. Complete set in two volumes. This edition features numerous illustrations "from original water colors" - over each illustration is a descriptive tissue guard. Decorative gilt shamrock-themed end papers. Gilt top page edges. There are headpieces at the beginning of the chapters. The contents are as follows: VOLUME I - Venice in Venice; Arrival and First Daye in Venice; The Winter in Venice; Comincia Far Caldo; Operas and Theatres; Venetian Dinners and Diners; Housekeeping in Venice; The Balcony on the Grand Canal; A Daybreak Ramble; The Mouse; Churches and Pictures; Some Islands of the Lagoons; The Armenians; The Ghetto and the Jews of Venice. VOLUME II - Some Memorable Places; Commerce; Venetian Holidays; Christmas Holidays; Love-Making and Marrying; Baptisms and Burials; Venetian Traits and Characters; Society; Our Last Year in Venice. With 18 illustrations from original water colors by Childe Hassan, Ross Turner, Rhonda Holmes Turner and F. Hopkinson Smith. Bound in cream cloth with gilt titles on spine and front cover decoration. Inside light stains on some pages but overall clean and complete. In vol 1 a tear repaired with blank tape on last page and a blank page-see photo. Externally overall very good condition, light stains on boards, bright gilt, spine lightly sunned. Rarity.