A very attractive copy
[BINDING.] [BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER.] The Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the Use of the Church of England. London: Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1676.
[bound with:]
[PSALMS.] The Whole Book of Psalms. London: Printed by J.M. for the Company of Stationers. 1676.
Two works in one volume, 12mo. Late eighteenth-century red crushed morocco, richly gilt, covers with centre-pieces incorporating crossed spears, arrows and flags of St George, within 3 roll tooled borders of different designs, with corner-pieces in same design as centre-pieces, spine in 5 compartments, vase motif enclosed by floral scrolls to 3 compartments, the other 2 repeating cover border designs, gilt edges (worn), marbled endpaper, second endpapers renewed; [i:] pp. [420], with engraved portrait frontispiece of Charles II by Frederick Hendrik van Hove, and 48 engraved plates (see below), imprimatur leaf with woodcut royal arms at end; [ii:] pp. [2], 84, [10], text in two columns, woodcut headpiece; very small hole near foot of spine, extremities very slightly rubbed; C11 with tiny portion of outer margin torn away, affecting a few letters, sig. “I” stained, occasional spotting, some light staining, but generally very good.
An illustrated, exceedingly rare, edition of the Book of Common Prayer, bound with the Psalms in a richly-gilt and remarkably well-preserved eighteenth-century binding.
The forty-eight engraved illustrations feature scenes from the New Testament, portraits of saints, and historical events, including the Gunpowder Plot and the execution of Charles I.
Charles Barker and John Bill were royal printers to Charles II from the Restoration until 1680. Barker was a descendant of Christopher Barker (c. 1529-1599), printer to Elizabeth I and the founder to a printing dynasty.
We have found only one other copy of this edition of the Book of Common Prayer at the British Library. The BL copy appears to include 50 leaves of plates; however, the 1676 octavo edition of the book by the same publishers contains 48 plates like the present volume (see EEBO The Huntington Library records).
Book of Common Prayer: ESTC R170708; Psalms: ESTC R230022.
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