[ILLUSTRATED BOOKS]. [STURT, John (1658-1730), engraver]. The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church... London: John Baskett, 1717. 8vo. xxii, 166 pp. Entirely engraved double-column text with dozens of silver plate engravings by John Sturt. Volvelle on page v supplied in skillful facsimile and missing its paper pointer. Full red morocco with ornate gilt paneling on covers and spine. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. A HANDSOME BOOK WITH NUMEROUS BEAUTIFUL AND COMPLEX ENGRAVINGS - INCLUDING A PORTRAIT OF KING GEORGE I WITH MINIATURE TEXT PRINTED ON HIS PROFILE.
Condition
Some rubbing to extremities of boards, front joint starting and some foxing in text, as usual. Uniformly toned due to paper quality. A few shallow scratches on back cover. Three or four notations in ink, probably from the early 19th century, on front flyleaf describing book's provenance. A very good copy with many remarkably intricate engravings throughout.
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This copy is described on page 144 of Griffiths' The Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer, several variants with engraved borders. This copy is another variant without engraved borders. According to the Dictionary of Irish Biography, Alexander Marsden (1761-1834) was a barrister, East India Company agent, and government official born in Dublin. W.J. Moore was a book collector whose volumes of Samuel Rogers' poems were collected by Henry Maxwell, 7th Baron Farnham, according to entries in a posthumous catalogue of Maxwell's collection. (Griffiths, The Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer, p. 144.) John Sturt (1658-1730) was an engraver who specialized in engraving calligraphy and miniatures. He made his living as a book illustrator and produced plates for books such as Francis Bragge's Passion of our Savior (1694) and Charles Perrault's Treatise on the Five Orders of Architecture (1708). His best-known works are the engraved versions of Laurence Howell's The Orthodox Communicant and the present volume. The notations on the pastedown, which may be written in multiple hands, read as follows: "Brabagan"; "W.J. Moore Windsor"; "Presented to my brother C.H. Moore in Portland Place. This book was formerly in the possession of A. Marsden under Secretary of State for Ireland - the father of Mrs. C. H. Moore & brother of Wm. Marsden Esq., many years Secretary of the Admiralty [illegible]. W.M.B."; and, at the bottom of the page, "It is said that silver types were used in printing this book edition which hereafterwards [illegible]. W.M.B."
