In late 1544, Henry VIII’s forces were defending the English possession of Boulogne in a series of brutal battles against the French as part of the Italian War (1542-1546). They were aided by Giovacchino da Coniano, a sergeant-major in charge of the Italians fighting on the side of the English. The king had been present […]
Category: TB
Type Under Siege
May 9, 2017
A Well-Traveled Atlas
March 29, 2017
As I was beginning to work on a two-volume atlas from the Cavagna Collection printed in Venice between 1740 and 1750, I noticed from the rather rudimentary catalog record that a second copy was listed as containing the bookplate of David Garrick (1717-1779), the most famous Shakespearean actor of the eighteenth-century, whose legacy is still […]
A Christmas Carol and Its Corresponding Collector
December 23, 2013
While updating the catalogue record for an 1869 edition of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, I came across a letter inside the front cover. Dated 3 April 1867, it was written from Andrew Varick Stout Anthony (1835-1906) to Alexander Farnum (1830-1884) regarding William James Linton (1812-1897), an English engraver who had recently immigrated to the United […]
The Rambler’s Magazine: A Puzzlingly Popular Periodical
August 30, 2012
The rambler’s magazine, or, The annals of gallantry, glee, pleasure and the bon ton. London: Printed for the authors, and sold by G. Lister, no. 46, Old Bailey; Mr. Jackson, at Oxford; Mr. Hodson, at Cambridge; Mr. Frobisher, at York; Mr. Slack, at Newcastle; Messrs. Peason and Rawlinson, at Birmingham; Mr. Crutwell, at Bath; and all […]
“Endlesse fame shall crowne thy well-ment actions with applause”: An Olimpick Curiosity, 400 Years On
June 21, 2012
Michael Drayton, et al. Annalia Dubrensia: vpon the yearly celebration of Mr. Robert Dovers Olimpick Games vpon Cotswold-Hills. London: Robert Raworth, for Mathewe Walbancke [i.e. Printed for Dr. Thomas Dover], 1636 [i.e. 1720?] While working on a project to create detailed catalog records for items of interesting provenance, I came across an 18th-century type-facsimile of […]
Distinctive Ownership Inscriptions in an Incunable (Incunabula Q. 473 M28p 1482)
February 7, 2012
Guiniano Maggio. De priscorum proprietate verborum. Venice : Octavianus Scotus, 3 June 1482. While cataloging a copy of De priscorum proprietate verborum (“On the propriety of ancient words”) by the 15th-century Neopolitan grammarian Guiniano Maggio, I came across two contemporary or near-contemporary ownership inscriptions by one Ludovicus de Galliardis. One inscription is on the first […]
Contemporary Line-Drawing and Couplet in an Incunable (Incunabula 475 Z42l 1490)
January 11, 2012
Wilhelmus Zenders de Wert. Lilium grammaticae. Cologne: Heinrich Quentell, 1490 While cataloging a quarto edition of the Lilium grammaticae of Wilhelmus Zenders de Wert, I ran across an interesting drawing on the title-page. This quaint illustration in black ink shows a man in armor with a head of curly hair, clutching a small sword or […]