A LEAF HISTORY OF BRITISH PRINTING from 1610 to 1774
The Plough Press, 1986. Limited Edition. Paperback. LIMITED EDITION; #28 OF 110 COPIES. A series of original leaves from books printed in Britain, along with an introductory pamphlet containing the colophon. Each leaf is intended to represent an important characteristic of British printing and is protected in its own paper folder with a brief historical description. The folder-enclosed leaves and introductory pamphlet are all neatly housed in a cloth-covered box.
The following leaves are included:
1. Pages 1493-1496 (two leaves) from John Foxe's BOOK OF MARTYRS, pub. 1610 and printed by Humphrey Lownes --- Very faint dampstaining along the top edges, light brown flecks at the bottom of the second column of text on page 1495; holes from original binding along gutter edges.
2. Small leaves from two separate works: SAINT BERNARD HIS MEDITATIONS (1631, Elizabeth Allde) and THE OPTICK GLASS OF HUMORS by T. Walkington (1664, for Gertrude Dawson). --- Lightly browned and foxed; faint dampstain in bottom left corner of first leaf.
3. Pages 617-620 of Quintilian's DE INSTITUTIONE ORATORIA edited by Edmund Gibson (1693, John Fell, Oxford University Press) --- Edges lightly browned, otherwise clean. Comes with two pieces of movable type, letters G and V.
4. Small leaves from two separate works: a page from the Psalms section of a BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER (ca. early 18th century) and a page from Hecira in COMEDIES OF TERENCE (1772), both Baskerville. --- Lightly age-toned; faint pencil markings on the second leaf.
5. Very small leaves from two separate works: POEMS OF SWIFT (1774, Foulis) and THE YOUNG CLERK'S COMPANION (1664, George Holiday) --- Lightly age-toned and mild soiling on second leaf.
6. REPRODUCTION title pages from two separate works: INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING ERECTING OF A LIBRARY by Gabriel Naudeus (1661, Bedle, Collins, and Crook) and POEMS OF DR. JONATHAN SWIFT (1774, Foulis)
7. Page 255-256 of HIEROGLYPHICA by G.P. Bolzani (ca. early 1600s, for Paul Frellon) --- Mild age-toning and crinkling along the edges. Features a small woodcut illustration of a horse.
8. A small leaf from an unidentified work, featuring a woodcut illustration of the angel delivering St. Peter from prison. --- Light foxing, otherwise intact.
9. REPRODUCTION of a woodcut depicting a paper mill from ORBIS SENSUALIUM PICTUS by Joannes Amos Comenius, from an edition of 1672.
10. REPRODUCTION of a folding plate depicting a paper mill, an illustration for THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE ca. 1752. Item #176997
Fine condition apart from the age-related wear to the original leaves as mentioned above. The introductory pamphlet is clean, with just some mild crinkling from having been handled by a previous owner. The set is complete, with all ten folders. The storage box measures approx. 16.75" x 12.2"
Price: $1,500.00