Heraldic Illustration of the 18th century – Guillim, John / [ Edward Le Davis ] / [ Michael van der Gucht].

A Display of Heraldry. By John Guillim, pursuivant at Arms. The Sixth Edition [on fine paper]. Improv’d with large Additions of many hundred Coats of Arms, under their respective Bearings, with good Authorities from the Ashmolean Library, Sir George Mackenzie, &c. With his Tract of Precedency, containing all his Rules, Observations, Arguments, and chief Instances. To which is added, “A Treatise of Honour Military and Civil”, According to the Laws and Customs of England, By Capt. John Logan. Illustrated With the Arms, Crests, Supporters, and Motto’s of the Royal Familly, and Nobility: The Arms of the Sees of the English Bishops, and several of the Gentry. Together With the proper Habits of the different Degrees of the Nobility of England, and the Emblems of the chief Orders of Knighthood in Europe; all fairly engraven on Copper Plates. Also An Exact List of the Baronets, from their first Creation to this present Time; and most of their Arms Blazon’d. With an Account of the Customs, Government, and Privileges of the City of London, the other Cities of England, and Shire-Towns of each County, and their Arms. Likewise A Supplement of Scarce tracts relating to the Office of Arms, taken from Authentick Copies. And A Dictionary, explaining the several Terms used by Heralds, in English, Latin and French. With proper Tables to the Whole. [With 17 full-page, original portraits, engraved by Edward Le Davis and flemish engraver Michael van der Gucht / With 295 engraved crests / coat of arms, displayed on 47 pages].

London, R. and J. Bonwicke and R. Wilkin in St.Paul’s Church-Yard / And J. Walthoe and Tho. Ward, in the Temple, 1724. Folio (26 cm x 39 cm). Frontispiece, [5], 20 pp. [″The Introduction”], [1], 460 pp. [″A Display of Heraldry”], [2], 275 pp. [″Observations upon the Laws and Customs of Nations”], 58 pp. [″Honour Civil of the City of London”], 24 pp. [″Dictionary used by Heralds”], [11] pp. [″Alphabetical Table of the Names of the Nobility and Gentry”]. Illustrated and complete with 17 portraits of courtyard and apparatus and 47 plates, engraved on wood, reproducing a total of hundreds of coats of arms with coats, crests, lambrequins, helmets and coins. Very many coats of arms in the 2-columned text. Hardcover / Original 18th-century binding with modern restauration (rebacked) to the highest standards. Superior example of this publication ! Unusually excellent condition with only very minor signs of external wear. Frontispiece and last page of the work with minor crease. Two corners torn (two pages following the title), corner of page 185 torn and page 92 of the second part of the book with longer lesion within text (no loss of text). Endpapers and pastedown with some minor spotting. All these descriptions of faults sound worse than they are. Interior text, plates and portraits overall in unbelievably clean and excellent condition. Name of pre-owner in ink on title and verso frontispiece (″J.Stilwell”).

[Lane Lady Fisher, Jane / Charles II] Blount, Thomas.

Boscobel: or The compleat history of His Sacred Majesties most Miraculous Preservation after the Battle of Worcester, which was fought 3 Sept. 1651. Illustrated with a Plan of the City (here missing) and a View of Boscobel House [And an added 19th century original watercolour of Boscobel House by H.D.S.Leaken “Boscobel, Friday, July 24th 1896”].

Worcester, Elias Andrews, 1769. Small Octavo. IV, 93, pages plus 3 unnumbered pages Advertisement for books printed for and sold by S. Gamidge. Hardcover / 19th century halfleather with gilt lettering on spine. Very good condition with only very minor signs of external wear.

[Newbery & Carnan].

A Description of England and Wales [with 240 Plates] – Containing a particular Account of each County, with its Antiquities, Curiosities, Situation, Figure, Extent, Climate, Rivers, Lakes, Mineral Waters, Soils, Fossils, Caverns, Plants and Minerals, Agriculture, Civil and Ecclesiastical Divisions, Cities, Towns, Palaces, Seats, Corporations, Markets, Fairs, Manufactures, Trade, Sieges, Battles and the Lives of illustrious Men each County has produced, Embellished with two hundred and forty Copper Plates of Palaces, Castles, Cathedrals; The Ruins of Roman and Saxon Buildings; And of Abbeys, Monasteries, and other Religious Houses. Besides a Variety of Cuts of Urns, Inscriptions, and other Antiquities.

Ten Volumes (complete set). London, Newbery and Carnan, 1769. Small Octavo. Volume I: XII, 299 pages / Volume II: 286 pages / Volume III: 288 pages / Volume IV: 288 pages / Volume V: 288 pages / Volume VI: 288 pages / Volume VII: 287 pages / Volume VIII: 288 pages / Volume IX: 288 pages / Volume X: 288 pages // Hardcover / Nine Volumes in their original 18th-century full leather with gilt lettering and ornament on spine. Volume One recently bound to style by english master-binders. Faded dampstain to Volume III. Otherwise in very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Two spine-labels slightly damaged. Bookplate of Daniel Conner to pastedowns of Volumes 2 – 9.

[Henry, David / Power, Francis / Carnan, Thomas / Sir Christopher Wren] Anonymous.

An Historical account of the Curiosities of London and Westminster, In Three Parts. Part I. Contains a full description of the Tower of London, and every thing curious in and belonging to it. Part II. Contains The History of Westminster-Abbey, from its foundation to the present time ; with its Antiquities, Tombs, and Inscriptions. Part III. Treats of the Old Cathedral of St. Paul’s and the new ; together with a full account of the Monument, London-Stone, the City-wall, Gates, and other Antique [Roman] remains.

With three separate titlepages. London, Printed for Francis Power and Thomas Carnan, 1785 – 1789. Small Octavo (11,5 cm x 17 cm). Part I: IV, 64 pages / Part II: IV, 139 pages plus 5 pages of a thorough Index / Part III: IV, 56 pages. Hardcover / Original half-vellum with marbled paper-covered boards. Binding with some minor signs of wear. Binding and spine firm. Overall in very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Name of preowner Mary Gray written in ink on titlepages.

Shaw, Rev. Stebbing.

The History and Antiquities of Staffordshire. Complete Set of two Volumes (all published/fully restored). With an original Plan of Wolverhampton, A large map of Staffordshire, Engravings of Boscobel House, The Pedigree of Turton, Etchings of Kings Bromley, Pipe Ridware House, Lichfield, Site of Blythbury Priory, Mavesyn Ridware, Cathedral of Lichfield, View of Freeford, etc. etc. Volume I – Containing the Ancient and Modern History of Thirty Parishes in the Hundred of Offlow, arranged Geographically, with an Appendix of the most curious Charters &c. Illustrated with sixty-two copper plates and a copious Index / Volume II – Part1 (all published) – Containing the Prefatory Introduction, commencing with a Series of Original Letters from Plot’s time to the present; General and Natural History &c. Ancient and Modern History of the remaining Parishes in the Hundred of Offlow and the Whole of Seisdon, arranged Geographically with an Appendix of curious Charters and other additions and Corrections &c. Illustrated with fifty copper plates and a copious Index. Compiled from the Manuscripts of Huntbach, Loxdale, Bishop Lyttelton, and other Collections of Dr.Wilkes, the Rev. T.Reilde. Including Erdeswicke’s Survey of the County and the approved parts of Dr. Plot’s Natural History. The whole brought down to the present time. Interspersed with Pedigrees and Anecdotes of Families, Observations on Agriculture, Commerce, Mines and Manufactories and illustrated with a very full and correct new map of the County, “Agri Staffordiensis Icon” and numerous other plates.

London, J.Nichols and Son, 1798-1801. Large-Folio. Volume I: Folded Map of Staffordshire by W.Faden, Portrait of Rev. Shaw (detached), XXIV, (2), 125, XXXVIII, 434, 38 pages / Volume II, Part I: A Plan of Wolverhampton, XXXII, 290, 20 pages. With a double-page plan, a large, folded county map (coloured), 82 engraved plates, numerous vignettes within the text and 3 folded pedigree – tables. Modern Hardcover. Exceptionally restored. This work is difficult to handle if not in a sturdy binding ! Original Edition in professionally rebound halfleather with gilt lettering on spine and extra-strong boards, suited for this heavy set. This masterpiece of underestimated english local history is of great interest because of its fold out maps and numerous large folio etchings.

[Saunders, Richard] Rider, Cardanus.

Rider’s British Merlin: For the Year of our Lord 1799. Being the Third after Bissextile or Leap-Year. Adorned with many delightful and useful Verities, fitting all Capacities in the Islands of Great Britain’s Monarchy. With notes of Husbandry, Fairs, Marts, High Roads and Tables for many necessary uses. Compiled for the Country’s Benefit by Cardanus Rider. [With: “The Arms of the Peers, Peeresses &c. of England, Scotland & Ireland the Insignia of the Different Orders of Knighthood with the Baronets of Great Britain and the Dates of their Creations” [With: “Heraldry in Miniature” / Including a small section to the end of the publication with “British Governments in America and the West-Indies with Upper Canada – Lower Canada – Cape Breton – Virgin Island – Montserrat – Grenada – Jamaica – Leeward Islands – Barbados [Barbadoes]” etc.]. [ With a section on “Peers, Peeresses and Bishops of Ireland – That are Not Peers of England”].

London, Printed for the Company of Stationers, 1799. Slim-Octavo (9,5 cm x 16 cm). Collation complete with parts of the book interleaved: 60, XXXVI, [122 + 4 misbound planches with coats of arms, pagination incorrect but all plates available that are called for], plus 321 pages [House of Peers of Great Britain with misprinted pagination to the beginning of the 321 pages]. Original Hardcover / 18th century or early 19th century red leather. Stronger rubbed but firm and intact binding. Interior with tear to page 15/16, some minor foxing and browning only, some writing to interleaved pages in a child’s hand. All plates with Heraldic Bearings, Coat of Arms, Emblemata, Badges etc. included. Here the rare 1799 publication with over 500 examples of Heraldry of Ireland, Scotland and England. Includes Irish Earls, Irish Barons, Irish Archbishops, Irish Viscounts, etc. [Coat of Arms of Fingal, Glandore, Lisburne, Winterton, Arran, Barrymore, Marq. Donegall, Clanricarde, Fife, Lowth, Upper Ossory etc. etc.]

Milner, Rev. [Bishop John Milner] / [Charles Heath] / [Henry Marten].

Sammelband with several publications bound in one Volume: 1. Rev. Milner – An Historical and Critical Account of Winchester Cathedral with an Engraved View and Ichnographical Plan of that Fabric. Extracted from the Rev. Mr.Milner’s History and and Antiquities of Winchester to which is added “A Review of its Modern Monuments” (Winchester, 1801 / 148 pages) / 2. Heath, Charles – The Excursion Down the Wye from Ross to Monmouth; Comprehending Historical and Descriptive Accounts of Wilton and Goodrich Castles; Also of Court Field, The Nursery of King Henry The Fifth; New Wear, with Every other Object in the Voyage. The Celebrated Family of Swift, who resided at Goodrich, are not overlooked: and, throughout the whole are Interspersed, A Variety of Amusing and Interesting Circumstances, Never Before collected: Particularly Memoirs and Anecdotes of the Life of John Kyrle, Esq. Rendered Immortal by the Muse of Pope, under the Character of “The Man of Ross”. By Charles Heath, Printer, Monmouth. Being Part the First of this Work, – which will include the Whole of the Voyage from Ross to Chepstow. Part II will contain Monmouth. Part III from thence to the Junction of the Wye with Severn. Pointing out every interesting Object in the Course of this much-admired Excursion. (London, 1799 / 246 unnumbered pages with mentioning on the last page of this section: “End of First Part” [This information seems to be the same in all versions of this book in international libraries and it is possible that Parts II and III were not published as advertised on the titlepage but in a different way]) / 3. Henry Marten – Monmouthshire [has its own titlepage but can very well be Part II and III of the previous Volume] – “Monmouthire – Historical and Descriptive Accounts of the Ancient and Present State of Chepstow Castle – Including Persfield, with the various Views in those pleasurable Regions – Also, Notices of Caerwent, An Ancient Roman Station; Moyne’s Court, Matherne, and St. Pierre – The Old and New Passages, on both sides of the Water – The Roads to Bristol and Gloucester; and a Variety of other interesting particulars deserving the Stranger’s Notice. Interspersed with curious Biographical Anecdotes relating to the Life of Henry Marten, one of the Judges of King Charles I. confined twenty years in this Castle. Collected from original Papers and unquestionable Authorities by Charles Heath, Printer, Monmouth (c.1802) //

Winchester / London, Ja. Robbins, Charles Heath, 1801 – 1802. Octavo. Pagination of the Sammelband: First Book: Rev.John Milner – Account of Winchester Cathedral Part: Frontispiece of “North West View of the Cathedral), [2], Fold-out-plan of “Ichnography of the Cathedral Church”, 148 pages / Second Book: Charles Heath: “The Excursion Down the Wye…etc.” – First Part: 246 unnumbered pages / Second / [and possibly Third] Part: 188 unnumbered pages. Hardcover / Original, decorative half-leather of the early 19th century with original spinelabel, restored and with new endpapers and new marbled paper-covers on original boards. In protective Mylar. One page with a minor cut (without text-loss). Otherwise in very good condition with some signs of external wear. This very rare work originates from the wonderful Meade – Collection in Ballymartle (near Kinsale, West Cork), with the name of one of the Meade – family-members written on the titlepage and the bookplate / Exlibris of Richard Meade to the original endpaper.

Prisons – Maddocks.

James Neild Esqr.

Original engraving. no place. [c.1804]. Plate Size: 10 cm x 19 cm. Sheet Size: 13. 3 cm x 21 cm. In very good condition. Minor inkstain visible.

[Combe, William] / [Thomas Rowlandson].

The Tour of Doctor Syntax – In Search of the Picturesque – A Poem [plus: “Volume Second”: “The Second Tour of Doctor Syntax – In Search of Consolation – A Poem”].

Volume One in Fourth Edition / Volume Two in First Edition. Two Volumes. London, Published by R. Ackermann at the Repository of Arts, 1813 – 1820. Large Octavo. Pagination: Volume I: Frontispiece, engraved titlepage, [2], 276, plus 1 page with “Directions to the Binder for placing the Plates”. With 31 handcoloured illustrations (including Frontispiece and titlepage) by caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson / Volume II: Frontispiece, [1], 277 pages plus 1 page with “Directions to the Binder for placing the Plates”. With 22 (of 24) handcoloured illustrations by caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson. Hardcover / Original half leather with original spine-labels and ornaments. Both Volumes with some rubbing but both in firm, original condition. Interior of Volume I with some mild foxing and fingerstaining only but all plates excellent. Interior of Volume II with a tear and loss of paper to the front free endpaper, some mild foxing, one plate and one textpage (page 11) slightly detached and with fraying). Minor wormholedamage to rear board (neglectable). Overall these two Volumes are in very good condition !

[Froissart, Sir John] Bourchier, John (2nd Baron Berners) / [Provenance: Edward Hume Townsend / Henrietta Murray Townsend].

The Antient [Ancient] Chronicles of Sir John Froissart, of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Brittany and Flanders, And The Adjoining Countries; Translated From the Original French, at The Command of King Henry The Eighth by John Bourchier, Lord Berners. With The Names of Places and Persons Carefully Corrected, And The Obsolete Words Modernized. With A Copious Index.

In Four Volumes [complete set]. London, For J.Davis, Military Chronicle Office, 1814 – 1816. Octavo (15,5 cm wide x 24 cm high). Pagination: Volume I: VIII, 693 pages / Volume II: 651 pages / Volume III: III, 663 pages / Volume IV: 615 pages. Hardcover / Original 19th century full-leather with gilt lettering and ornament to spine. Some of the original leather – spine detaching. The bindings firm and overall in very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Exlibris of E.H.Townsend [Edward Hume Townsend (1803 – 1880) and the manuscript-name in ink, of his daughter Henrietta Murray Townsend (died 1869) inside the cover of all four Volumes. Edward Townsend was educated in Clonakilty and later worked for the East India Company. There is plenty of information on the interesting life of Edward and his daughter Henrietta available within “The Townsend Family Records” [online].