Books and Manuscripts

London: William Miller, 1808. Mixed issue. Folio. Illustrated with hand-colored aquatint vignette title-page, and 60 hand-colored aquatint plates, with full and/or partially hand-colored backgrounds; some plates watermarked and dated 1802, 1804, or 1817. Some text watermarked and dated 1801, 1802, 1804, or 1805. Contemporary full green straight-grain morocco, stamped in blind and in gilt, extremities rubbed, spine and board edges browned; all edges gilt; scattered minor spotting to text and plates; minor offsetting from plates onto text; with the armorial book-plate of English antiquarian George Weare Braikenridge (1775-1856) on front paste-down. Abbey, Life 430; Tooley 388

According to Abbey and Tooley, Costume of Great Britain was issued in three states, with Abbey stating: "There are three editions or issues of this book: first with title dated 1804, but on paper watermarked prior to that year. Second, with a title dated 1808; and thirdly, in the above state, with an 1804 title, but recognizable by the later watermark. The edition of 1808 usually has plain backgrounds; both impressions of the 1804 are more desirable in having colored backgrounds." Tooley further states that three types of colored backgrounds exist to correspond to the three states: uncolored, partially colored, and colored. This edition appears to be a mixed issue, with an 1808 title-page, fully colored backgrounds--or at least partially colored, if following Tooley--and some plates with watermarks of 1802 and 1804, as well as a later watermark of 1817. A handsome copy.