Complete 5th edition of Meyers Konversations Lexicon (17 volumes, 1893-‘97) In 1838 German author Joseph Meyer (1796-1856) started working on an encyclopaedia to be used by the ‘common people’ and not just by the higher classes. It had to appeal to a large part of the German society and had to be readable as well as scientifically accurate. Eventually, “Das Grosse Konversations-Lexicon für die gebildeten Stände” consisted of 52 volumes and was the largest completed encyclopaedia in the German language of the 9th century. Joseph Meyer’s work was continued by his son Hermann Julius (1826-1909). In 1857 he publishes a more compacted version of Das Lexicon, counting ‘only’ 15 volumes. Up until the First World War 6 more editions were published, named Meyers Konversations Lexicon from the 3rd edition. The set here offered is the complete 17 volume 5th edition, published between 1893 and 1897. Besides about 17.000 pages of text in Old German lettering, the book has over 10.000 illustration. Particularly pretty are the 164 chromolithographic plates covering a wide variety of subjects. Because of these plates, many of the original books were taken apart to be able to frame the plates. About the condition: the exterior is in rather poor condition, as the photos show. The leather of the binding has dried out severely and starts crumbling, Still, to my opinion, they books are very appealing. The interior is very good. There is some foxing on the first pages, but overall the pages are clean and bright. There is no writing inside and no missing pages or plates. The chromolithographic plates are also in very good condition. Only 2 have been damaged because the protective cheat sticked to the illustration. The total weight of this set is about 35 kg (without packaging), it will therefore be transported in 2 boxes. SHIPMENT ONLY WITHIN EU!!