The History and Description of The City of Exeter, and its Environs, Ancient and Modern, Civil and Ecclesiastical […]. By Alexander Jenkins. Exeter: P. Hedgeland, 1806, 4to, a.e.g.
THE FIRST EDITION HERE ON LARGE PAPER, LIMITED TO JUST 12 COPIES. THIS IS THE PRINTER’S OWN COPY.
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A beautifully bound example of this extremely scarce first edition, limited to just 12 copies on large paper, and it is very large paper indeed with very generous margins. This copy contains an engraved frontispiece, a stunning bifold map, two full page maps, and 8 fine plates throughout.
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Provenance:
Oval bookplate of P. Hedgeland, the printer of this work to the front pastedown, now covered by a later bookplate, but with pencil reference to the earlier bookplate to the ffep. We can see this bookplate under certain lighting underneath the later one.
Bookplate of A. Trengrove to rear pastedown with his initials in gilt to the front board. This is the owner who commissioned the rather fine red binding.
Early auction catalogue ticket pasted to head of ffep verso.
Relatively recent bookplate of Martin Burdick to front pastedown, pasted on top of the original owner’s bookplate. Acquired from this estate.
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Size: 215 x 275 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), frontis, a2, b4, A1-Z4, 2A1-2Z4, 3A1-3K4, 3L2, (2)]
Near contemporary binding finely tooled in gilt to spine, board edges, and turn-ins, dulled, but remains attractive. Initials tooled in gilt to front board commensurate with the bookplate to the rear pastedown. Binding rubbed with corners bumped, but secure with both boards securely attached. No shelf lean. All edges gilt, a little dulled, but attractive, small dent to middle of fore-edge. Two bookplates to front pastedown, one placed on top of another.
Double page map remounted, finely restored, presenting very well indeed. Minor early edge repair to contents leaf (bound at rear and paginated thus). Foxing through text block, plates often oxidised/toned as typical, else generally clean throughout.
An attractive copy of a very scarce large paper copy of this first edition on the County of Exeter.
