Boccaccio's Dekameron Value Guide

This early 20th-century German edition of Giovanni Boccaccio's 'The Decameron' represents a significant era of European publishing by Wilhelm Borngräber in Leipzig. It is highly collectible for its period-specific aesthetic and its role in bringing 14th-century Italian novellas to a German-speaking audience during the pre-WWI era.

What affects the value of Boccaccio's Dekameron?

• The physical condition of the cloth binding, specifically looking for sun-fading or fraying at the spine.
• The presence and preservation of era-specific cover illustrations or decorative motifs.
• The overall integrity of the paper and ink, including the presence of foxing or yellowing.
• Market demand for early 20th-century German translations of classic Italian literature.

How to Identify Boccaccio's Dekameron?

• Check the title page for the publisher name 'Wilhelm Borngräber' and the city 'Leipzig'.
• Verify the German spelling 'Dekameron' on the spine and cover art.
• Look for the characteristic cloth binding and typography styles consistent with the 1905-1915 production period.
• Confirm the presence of all 100 novellas within the text block to ensure completeness.

History of Boccaccio's Dekameron

Giovanni Boccaccio's 'The Decameron' is a classic work of 14th-century Italian literature, a collection of 100 novellas told by a group of seven young women and three young men sheltering in a secluded villa outside Florence to escape the Black Death. This particular edition was published in Leipzig, Germany, by Wilhelm Borngräber, a publisher known for producing various literary works, often with illustrative covers reflecting the era's aesthetic.