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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;2manybooks, post: 425460, member: 8267&quot;]It does seem to be a scarce set, and the reason may be the condition of the bindings on the few sets you have found. Some types of leather used for binding books around the turn of the century proved to be very susceptible to deterioration. It has to do with a method of tanning developed in the late 19th century. In the effort to accelerate the tanning process, new tanning agents were introduced which had the effect of creating leather very sensitive to sulfur pollutants in the air (think of coal burning furnaces and industries). These leather bindings absorbed the pollutants, becoming acidic and exhibiting&nbsp; symptoms now called &quot;red rot&quot; - basically becoming fragile, powdery, and falling apart. Few of these sets may have survived relatively intact.</p><p>Ellis seems to have been a very prolific writer, but better known for his novels and historical writings geared toward young readers. Though scarce, I would not expect this particular set to have much monetary value. Such general histories rarely hold their interest for later readers or collectors. You can do a search on abebooks.com to get an idea of prices for other Ellis books. Enter his name (Edward S. Ellis) in the author field, limit the publication dates to 1890 - 1920, and tick hardcover to get a good selection of his books.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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