Astle, Thomas. The Origin and Progress of Writing, as well Heiroglyphic as Elementary, illustrated by Engravings taken from Marbles, Manuscripts and Charters, Ancient and Modern: also Some Account of the Origin and Progress of Printing. London: Chatto and Wndus, 1876
Original black straight-grain morocco over red cloth boards. Gilt spine, marbled endpapers. Top edge gilt, others uncut. , xxiv, 240 pp. , Engraved frontisportrait. Thirty two engraved plates (numbered 1-31, but with two plates numbered 14a and 14b), some double-page, some with color.
Tear at top of spine, binding extremities rubbed, some staining to boards, a little light foxing to first and last few leaves. A very good, large copyÑpossibly a large paper copyÑof this lavish reprint of the first major English work on paleography., Astle (1735-1803) was Keeper of Records in the Tower of London. This, his major work, was first published in 1784. It is the result of years of studying and accumulating early manuscripts and printed books. Lowndes notes that it is Òthe completest work on the subject of writing extant in this or any other language.Ó AstleÕs substantial library is housed at the British Library., Bigmore and Wyman, I, 20.
$US750
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