Classic Fiction
Beautiful Sets of Classic Books
On this page:
Please also see the Children’s Literature section.
In print (contemporary editions)
Arcturus Epic Classics
Striking page edges
Classic stories also featuring gold-embossed covers, and artwork by acclaimed golden age illustrators.. First released 2024.
Signature Gilded Editions
Embossed covers and gilt page edges
A list of all the books in the pocket sized Signature Gilded Editions series by Union Square & Co. First released 2023.
Jane Austen Collection
Harper Muse Die-cuts
Six Austen novels with delicate laser-cut paper dust jackets, complementing the Seasons Editions. First released 2023.
Quarterbound Classics
Vintage Quarter Clothbound Editions
Bright cloth spines with contemporary illustrative covers and silk ribbon bookmarks. First released 2023.
Arcturus Illustrated Classics
Classics with contemporary illustrations
A series of dust jacketed classics with specially commissioned illustrations. First released 2023.
Little Clothbounds
Diverse novellas
Penguin's clothbound classic short stories with foiled covers. First released 2022.
Painted Editions
Wraparound Cover Art
Harper Muse hardbacks with painted cover art and full page pull quotes. First released 2022.
Deluxe Illustrated Classics
Union Square editions
Each of these volumes has a different design aesthetic, but all are uniformly gorgeous. First released 2021.
Heller's Letters
Removable Letters
Authentic period style letters, expanding on missives mentioned in the original text. First released 2021.
Marjolein Bastin
Removable Ephemera
Classics with delightful removable period ephemera including maps, sheet music, postcards and family trees. First released 2021.
Arcturus Gilded Classics
Shiny covers and gilded page edges
A list of all the books in the Arcturus Gilded Classics series (published by Sirius in the US). Includes fiction and non-fiction. First published 2021.
Wordsworth Exclusives
Pretty paperbacks
Cheap and cheerful paperbacks, with beautifully atmospheric gold-foiled cover illustrations. First published 2021.
Penguin Vitae
"Penguins of one's life"
Diverse authors, foiled hardback covers and pretty endpapers. First released 2020.
Beehive Illuminated
Contemporary artwork
Oversized slipcased editions matching great graphic artists with classic works from centuries past. First released 2019.
Seasons Editions
Laser-cut limited editions
Seasonally thematic collections of classic fiction with laser-cut dust jackets and other features. First released 2019.
Chiltern Classics
Small textured volumes
Beautiful pocket sized editions of the classics with decorative textured covers inspired by classic Victorian design. First released 2018.
Canterbury / Bath Treasuries
Classic Treasuries
Bright clothbound classics called Canterbury in the US and Bath in the UK. First released 2017.
Wordsworth Collector's Editions
Classic Treasuries
Affordable British hardbacks, including a special 'luxe' editions set as well. First released 2018.
MinaLima's Classics
Interactive children's classics
A collector's guide and complete illustrated bibliography of the interactive children's classics by the renowned illustrators of the Harry Potter universe. First released 2015.
Penguin Leatherbound
Brightly foiled classics
Shiny patterns by Coralie Bickford-Smith catch the light on these faux leather bound classic novels. First released 2015.
Penguin Pocket Philosophy Set
Fine linen two-toned bindings
A collection of philosophical titles selected selected because they have “changed the history of thought”. First released 2014.
Puffin in Bloom
Pretty illustrated covers by Anna Bond
A list of all the books in the series, including the the hardbacks, gift sets, mini-books, and more. First released 2014.
Barnes & Noble Pocket Classics
Quick leatherbound shorts
Quick reads covering a range of poetry, history and philosophy titles. First released 2013.
Penguin Ink
Tattoo Art
Paperback classics with wraparound cover art by prominent contemporary tattoo artists. First released 2010.
Canterbury Leatherbound Classics
Affordable leatherbounds
Leather classics with decorative cover art. First released 2010.
Penguin Clothbounds
Printed designs and linen bindings
Beautiful repeating patterns by Coralie Bickford-Smith feature on this classic Penguin series. First released 2008.
Calla Facsimiles
Beautiful facsimiles with golden age illustrations
Surprisingly affordable facsimiles of deluxe classics from the golden age of illustration. First released 2008.
Virago Designer Classics
Modern fiction by women writers
Complete illustrated list of the pretty Virago Modern Classics Designer Collection. First released 2008.
White's Fine Editions
Clothbound Tradition
Beautiful wraparound cloth covers by different illustrators and elegant typography and design. First released 2008.
Barnes & Noble Collectibles
Brightly decorative leatherbound classics
A complete list of all the books and all your questions answered. First markets as 'collectibles' in 2005.
Penguin Deluxe Classics
Quality Penguin Paperbacks
World classics, with wraparound cover art on French flaps and deckled page edges. First released 1997.
Penguin's Foiled Fitzgeralds
Elegant metallic covers & matching bookmarks
This pretty collection of F Scott Fitzgerald’s works was the first of Penguin’s foiled cover designs. First released 1992.
Vintage / Out-of-print
Peter Owen's Cased Classics
Eye-catching International Classics
Gift editions of international classics, featuring artwork from contemporary British artists printed paper-over-board beneath elegant die-cut jackets. First released 2017.
Macmillan Popular Classics
Watercolour Artwork
Watercolour cover designs put out by Pan Macmillan India. First released 2016.
Rockport's Reimagined Classics
Contemporary illustrations
A library of stunning collector’s editions of unabridged classic novels illustrated by contemporary artists from around the world. First released 2014.
Mr Boddington's Classics
Classic Penguin novels
Vintage collection of classic authors with pretty covers. First released 2013.
Sterling Signature Shakespeare
Stunning die-cut illustrations
Selected Shakespeare plays with stunning die-cut illustrations. First released 2012.
B&N Signature Editions
Beautifully lettered covers
Barnes & Noble bonded leather hardcover classics (later replaced with flexibound covers). First released 2011.
Margaret Atwood
70th Birthday Editions
Seven special edition hardbacks to celebrate the 70th birthday of Margaret Atwood in a limitation of 1500 copies. First released 2009.
White's Fine Editions
Clothbound Tradition
Beautiful wraparound cloth covers by different illustrators and elegant typography and design. First released 2008.
B&N Original Classics
Leatherbound Classics
The OG Barnes & Noble Collectible classics, in dark leather with gilded cover designs. First released 1992.
FS Special Bindings
Folio Society's Rarest Titles
Five experimental limited leatherbound editions, with limitations between 25 to 75 copies only. First released 1960.
Queen's Treasures
Dainty Vintage Collection
Small illustrated volumes featuring a variety of children's titles. First released 1908.
Cranford Series
Vintage Green & Gold
Dark green cloth bindings with rich gilt designs on the covers and spines. First released 1875.
In progress...
Splinter Classics
