Penguin Leatherbound Classics | Illustrated Bibliography
Penguin Leatherbound Classics: Collector's Guide and FAQ
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About the books
The Penguin ‘leatherbound’ series was first published in 2015 with a ‘special set of 10 hardcover classics’ designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith, ‘that innovatively uses foil and a special new binding material to create a highly collectible set’. Additional volumes were added sporadically to expand the set over the next couple of years. The books have a repeating motif beautifully foiled on the covers and spine, an additional second related textured motif underneath the foiling, and a short quote pull-out included on the front cover. Titles are written on the spine either horizontally or vertically, depending on the width (page count) of the book.
The Penguin leather-bound series matches well with the much larger Penguin clothbound classics series, with a large overlap of titles and in some cases similar design motifs. The design of the leather-bound Pride and Prejudice is my favourite, as the choice of the peacock feather motif so clearly harks back to the beautiful vintage Victorian bindings that inspired this series.
Are the bindings really leather? Are the books quality productions?
No, the ‘leatherbound’ name is a misnomer, as the bindings for this set are ‘faux’ leather – meaning they are made of a material that mimics leather but can be considered vegan-friendly. However, the bindings do feel luxurious to hold and look beautiful on a shelf as the foiled designs warmly reflect the light. Unfortunately, the bindings are glued rather than sewn, but the pages are acid-free, and in that respect they are designed to last.
How many books in the series?
There are 14 volumes to collect, as listed below. There are also some variations between earlier and later printings (including UK and US editions, as they are usually published first in the UK), e.g. Frankenstein had teal covers for the initial UK release in 2015, which changed to navy for the later US release in 2017. Alternate earlier covers are also listed below, but as they have the same ISBN as later printings, you may not be able to tell which you are purchasing if buying online without a photo of the actual book.
The series appears to be fully out of print now with no indications of it being continued or reprinted.
Penguin Leatherbound Classics - The Complete List
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Notes: Published December 3, 2015. ISBN 9780241256572.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Notes: Published December 3, 2015. ISBN 9780241256619.
*Original teal cover reprinted in navy in 2017. See below.
The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
Notes: Published December 3, 2015. ISBN 9780241256626.
*Original pink cover reprinted in brown in 2017. See below.
The Greatest Cases of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Notes: Published December 3, 2015. ISBN 9780241256657.
*Original green cover reprinted in olive in 2017. See below.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Notes: Published November 2, 2017. ISBN 9780241331637. Currently OOP.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Notes: Published November 2, 2017. ISBN 9780241331620.
Alternate covers
Some of the earlier UK releases employed a different colourway to the later US releases. These alternate earlier cover designs are shown below.
