Rider's British Merlin: For the Year of Our Lord God 1791. 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 his Country's Benefit, By Cardanus Rider. London: Company of Stationers, 1791.
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A beautiful 18th century fine binding, tooled in gilt with a peacock design in the centre circumscribed by gilt ornamentation with floral motifs.
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Size: 84 x 140 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(1), t.p., 60pp]
Contemporary full red morocco, finely tooled in gilt to both boards and spine. Contemporary metal clasp mounts affixed to both boards, lacking the connecting bars and thus not functional. Binding rubbed with the gilt dulled, but remains very attractive. Shelf and edge wear. Joints rubbed but with both boards securely attached, the binding secure, and without shelf lean when placed correctly. Due to the thin dimensions, the volume is a little vertically unstable as one might expect, but the binding itself is not warped/cocked. Some erased pencil inscriptions to some blanks throughout. Backstrip a little separated from page block binding at front, hinges cracked. Generally very clean throughout the text block, with the tax stamp to title page dated 1791, essentially as called for. Collates as complete, but lacks rear blank.
