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; Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be Sung or Said in Churches. London: Charles Bill, Thomas Newcomb et al., 1692. [Together with] The Whole Book of Psalms, Oxford, 1703.
A STUNNING CONTEMPORARY FINE BINDING WITH PROVENANCE LINKING THIS BOOK TO THE CIRCLE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S WIFE, ANNE HATHEWAY.
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This incredibly beautiful and luxurious smooth red morocco binding is finely tooled with a black morocco inlay in the manner of the Mearne bindery (similar to the Cottage Roof style), with the binding overlaid with silver mounts and clasps. Though the binder is unidentified, our opinion attributes this to the workshop of Robert Steel as the most likely bindery. Robert Steel was an apprentice to the famous Mearne bindery from 1668 to 1675 and probably took over the Mearne bindery until 1710. The binding clearly takes influence from Samuel Mearne's cottage roof style which is the most famous of all bookbinding styles which continued with variation all the way into the 19th century. Bindings from the English restoration period and circa that time are considered to be from the 'golden age of English bookbinding'. As such they are highly sought after and one cannot fail to see why. We currently have a Bible bound by the Mearne bindery for sale available on our eBay page for £40,000. This binding is thus somewhat anachronistic for being a bit later than the height of the restoration fine bindings (c.1670-1680), but remains incredibly charming and certainly beautiful.
The individual who commissioned this binding in circa 1703 would have been very wealthy indeed. The original owner was almost certainly a member of the Burman family with the initials 'A.B.' as we see engraved to the centre metal piece of both boards (further details under Provenance, below). The silver corners and clasp mounts and the single extant clasp are beautifully engraved in such a delicate fashion as to truly show the mastery of the person that did it. The reverse of the clasp is hallmarked and appears to read 'JN', but we couldn't identify this maker, though it's likely possible to figure this out.
The corner of the title page with the date is lacking and so the date of 1692 is taken from the date on T6 which is the dedication to Queen Mary II. Only two BCPs were printed during this time frame, one of 1692 and one of 1694, and so it could also have been printed in 1694 but the 1692 date seems more likely. The Book of Psalms bound in at the rear dates to 1703 and so the binding was almost certainly done around this time, likely c.1703-4, along with the silver metalware.
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Provenance:
'A.B' initials to the centrepiece of both boards. This is almost certainly a member of the Burman family of Burman's Shottery near Stratford-upon-Avon, later known as Hathaway Farm. The Burman family were a well established farming family and neighbours of William Shakespeare's wife's family. The binding was clearly originally commissioned for 'A.B' and we also find a poem to the verso of an initial blank, opposite the BCP title page, which dates to 1624 and so one imagines a Shakespearean influence to that short poem (quatrain).
Early 18th century ink ownership inscription to the head of the title page of Lucy Burman.
Ink ownership inscription to ffep dated 1854 of W.R. Bunbury in a neat hand. One imagines, given the evidence, that this binding stayed within the Burman family until circa 1854 where it entered the possession of the Bunbury family. Though it could be that the owner had the initials 'W.R.' and lived in Bunbury instead which is a small town about 100 miles north of Stratford upon Avon where this book would have been originally kept by the Burman family.
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Size: 70 x 132 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(3, A1-T6 (BCP), A1-D12 (Psalms), (3)]
i.e. A¹², B⁶, C-S¹², T⁶; A-D¹²
Contemporary finely tooled silver-mounted smooth red morocco overlaid with black morocco and gilt. Binding rubbed and a little dry and would benefit from the application of a leather conditioner. Without significant loss to the gilt, but dulled. Silver metalwork dulled with some discolouration but generally shows very nicely indeed. Lacks one of the original clasps else all the original metalwork is present. Joints secure and hinges uncracked with boards securely attached and the binding secure. Vertically stable. Boards very slightly bowed. Shelf and edge wear with edges a little uneven. Polychrome block-printed endpapers picked out in gilt (contemporary). Verso blank of main title page with a manuscript quatrain dated to 1624 but contemporaneous to circa 1703. Loss to main title page including loss to the date. Some loss to the bottom right corners of approximately four other leaves throughout gathering C, slightly detached in the gutter. Split in the gutter to P2-7 but all attached. Generally clean throughout the text block.
A very attractive near restoration period fine binding.
[Nixon, H.M., 'Five Centuries of English Bookbinding', Scolar Press, London. pp.122-123 (53)].
