Blackmore, Richard: Prince Arthur. An Heroick Poem. In ten books; [bound with] King Arthur. An heroick poem in twelve books. London: Printed for Awnsham and John Churchil; [ditto] and Jacob Tonson, 1696; 1697. 1696; 1697. Third edition; first edition. 2 works bound as 1. Folio, pp. [xx], 296, [iv]; [ii], xvii, [i], 343, [ix]. Publisher's catalogue at end of Preface (i.e. p.xx), index at the end of each work. Intermittent damp-staining toward gutter especially to the second work, occasional light foxing, a few faint smudgy marks. Contemporary brown calf, raised bands with recent red Morocco gilt spine label added, blind-tooled borders and frames to boards, edges faintly sprinkled red, endpapers renewed. Spine repaired at head and tail, joints split but cords holding firm, scuffs and scrapes, edges worn, corners frayed, still a good, sound copy. To the title-page, inscriptions of Ed. Southcott and Charles (D?) Sharpe both in old hands. Third edition of Prince Arthur, Richard Blackmore's celebration of William III in the form of an epic based on The Aeneid and using historical material from Geoffrey of Monmouth. (The first edition appeared in 1695 and the second in the same year with an added index). It is found here bound with King Arthur in its first edition of 1697. Two variants exist, this copy having "near the Inner-Temple-gate" in the imprint. Physician and epic poetry enthusiast Blackmore (1654-1729) is now primarily remembered as an object of satire. In 1700 he was accused by John Dryden of being not only a plagiarist but also a poet whose work read to the rhythm of wagon wheels because it had been written in the back of hackney cabs on journeys between patients (The Pilgrim, prologue). Having used Virgil as his model for Prince Arthur and Milton for King Arthur, Blackmore was less successful in his emulation of other poets in subsequent works. He became the target of particular scorn from Pope in The Dunciad (1728), which immortalised him as 'Neverending Blackmore', a poet so boring he could send even lawyers to sleep. ESTC R23258; Wing B 3082. Ref: 54534show full image..
Blomefield, Francis: [Parkin, Charles:] An Essay towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk, containing a Description of the Towns, Villages, and Hamlets, with the Foundations of Monasteries, Churches, Chapels, Chantries, and other Religious Buildings [...] London: Printed for William Miller [...] by W. Bulmer [...], 1805[-10]. Second edition. 11 vols, 8vo, pp. [5], [viii-xvi], 548 [iv] + illustrated frontispiece, 4 folding tables, 5 plates (2 folding); [4] 559 [5] + 3 folding tables and 1 folding plate; [viii] 671 [1]; [viii] 580 + 7 plates, 1 folding map and 2 folding tables; [4] 527 [5]; [4] [ii-vii] [1] 521 [3] + 5 plates and 1 folding table; [4] 520 [4] + 4 plates (2 folding) and 2 folding tables; [4] 548 [iv] + 7 plates (4 folding) and 3 folding table; [2] 527 [5] + 4 plate (2 folding) and 1 folding map; [4] 479 [5] + 3 folding tables; [6] 402 [2], 83 [1] [18] + 1 plate, with engraved headpieces and woodcut text illustrations. Edges uncut, a little dusty, slight yellowing, occasional light marginal foxing, I: half-title a little torn at gutter, II: small stain affecting two words to L4, III: lower outer blank corner of 3C4 and 3G2 torn, IV: plates slightly browned, couple of small tears along folds of 2 folding plates, 1 with small repair, V: 1 plate somewhat browned, VIII: small paper flaw to lower outer blank corner of N1, crude repair to upper outer corner of 2A2 just touching text, bifolium 2N2-3 loose at lower gutter, IX: last gathering loosening, X: small marginal tears, XI: bifolium b*2-3 loosening. Contemporary publisher's blue boards, later endpapers, publisher's paper label to spine, boards sympathetically cleaned, corners a little rubbed, I: joints partly split at head and foot but firm, II: upper hinge starting at head but firm, V: lower hinge starting at foot but firm, publisher's advertisements to front pastedown of vols I, VII: upper joint minimally split at foot, X: lower hinge loosening. Inscription to half-titles: 'Lucy Jane Davey Given by her Aunt Lydia Jan 7 1827'. Second edition of this illustrated topographical survey of Norfolk and its ancient families. The Rev. Francis Blomefield (1705-1752) initially issued the book in parts from a private press at his ecclesiastical living in Fersfield. The work was continued after his death by the Reverend Charles Parkin (1689-1765), and finished by a hack writer employed by the printer. A remarkably unsophisticated copy internally, rarely found in its original publisher's blue boards, with paper labels specifying 'Price Eighteenth Shillings, Boards' on each volume. It includes the plate 'A Map of Marsh land by Sir William Dugdale' (Vol. IX, p. 166) often lacking. Vols I and III feature on the front pastedown a publisher's advertisement, the first advertising the possibility to add the author's portrait to the copy (as here) for an extra 5 shillings, as well as the publication of vols II-IV, the second apologising for not including the plan of Norwich with the city seals, as promised (here present in vol. IV), due to 'the Engraver having disappointed him [the publisher]'. The last few pages of vol. XI include a list of subscribers and 'Directions to the binder' divided by volume, separating plates and pedigrees. Upcott 950 ff. Ref: 53547show full image..
Boardman, John: Greek Gems and Finger Rings: Early Bronze Age to Late Classical. Thames & Hudson, 2001. Large 4to. (312 x 242 mm), pp. 409. Illustrations. Hardback: brown cloth. Dust-jacket. New, still in publisher's shrink-wrap. Ref: 53638
Boissier, Gaston: La Religion Romaine. D'Auguste aux Antonins. Paris: Librairie Hachette et Cie., 1906. 2 vols. in 1. Small 8vo., pp. xiv, 403; 413. Cream cloth, gilt-lettered and decorated, spine label, spine browned, boards grubby, slight shelf wear to edges, endcaps and corners, edges dusted, top edge gilted, foxing to free end-papers, still very good. Gilt-embossed stamp 'Schola Civitatis Londinensis' (City of London School) to upper board. Ref: 48781
Boothroyd, A. E.: Fascinating Walking Sticks. Bracknell, Berks.: Salix Books, 1970. First edition. 8vo., pp. 206. Brown cloth, gilt title to spine. Boards and contents clean, slight shelf-wear to edges, very good. Dust-jacket sun-faded to spine and portion of upper cover, a little worn and creased to edges otherwise very good. With photographs by Edward Morgan. "Over 280 different sticks illustrated including gun and swordsticks (and) foreword by Sir Gerald Nabarro, M.P." Ref: 53004
Bornholdt, Claudia: Saintly Spouses: Chaste Marriage in Sacred and Secular Narrative from Medieval Germany (12th and 13th Centuries) Tempe: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2012. 8vo., pp. 239. Hardback: laminated boards. New: unopened in publisher's shrink-wrap. Ref: 53405
Boulton, Maureen B. M. (trans.): Piety and Persecution in the French Texts of England. Tempe: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2013. 8vo., pp. 228. Hardback: laminated boards. New: unopened in publisher's shrink-wrap. Volume 420 in the Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies and Volume 6 in The French of England Translation ACMRS series. Ref: 53718
Bowd, Stephen (ed. & intro.); Cullington, J. Donald (trans. & annot.): Vainglorious Death: A Funerary Fracas in Renaissance Brescia. Tempe: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2006. 8vo., pp. 232. Hardback: laminated boards. New: unopened in publisher's shrink-wrap. Ref: 53411
Bowersock, G.E: Roman Arabia. America: Harvard, 1983. First edition, second impression. 8vo., pp. xiv, 224 + plates. Maps and illustrations. Hardback: red cloth, gilt-lettered to spine, dusty to edges otherwise very good. Dust-jacket, rather grubby and slightly stained but entirely intact, good. Ref: 54264
Bradley, Simon: The Railways: Nation, Network and People. London: Profile Books, 2015. First edition. 8vo., pp. 645 + colour plates. Hardback: blue cloth, silver-lettered to spine. Dust-jacket. A little light shelf-wear to jacket edges, otherwise a fine, unread copy. Ref: 53579
