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W. J. Simmonite – The Prognostic Astronomer, or Horary Astrology, c. 1884-1886
£100.00
Description
| hb | Simmonite, W. J. | The Prognostic Astronomer, or Horary Astrology: Containing an Improved Method of Solving the Thousand Inquiries Relative to Futurity | Early | Simpkin, Marshall, & Co., London | n.d. | £100 | xviii + 196pp. This printing c. 1884-1886, as shown by the advertising by John Story for books dated to 1883, and ephemerides for the years 1800 to 1887 only, to verso of title leaf. Otherwise, it’s an exact replication (NB, not a facsimile – it is professionally printed in high-quality type) of the Simpkin, Marshall edition of 1851, with even the price to the title page the same. Subtle differences in the line-spacing on certain pages compared with the 1851 printing show that this is not simply the first impression with the title leaf altered – the type has been reset in the style of the original printing, but it significantly predates the retitled Foulsham edition of 1896. | Rebound early in its life in small-format olive-green half-cloth with marbled paper-covered boards, in vgc for age, with almost no wear to cloth; paper to edges of boards has some rubbing and scuffing and a few short tears. Old small rectangular labels with red borders to front board and spine, each with hand-inked three-digit inventory number. Internally, paper hinge between title leaf and preface cracked towards top and bottom, but holding in middle. Title page margins bear three different former owners’ inked signatures, and a short note in an East Asian language, possibly Chinese. Upper margin of Preface page with two old former owners’ signatures. Lower outer margins of prefatory pages with small insect-holes, far from text, diminishing steadily and dying out after p. 2 of main page run. Smaller separate insect-track to lower central area to prefatory pages, extending only as far as p. xii before dying out completely, partly effaces a few characters of text within individual words on some pages in that range, but without affecting the legibility of any of the words. Text otherwise complete and, apart from the aforementioned signatures to title page and Preface page, free from previous owner marks, ink stains, tears, or other obvious blemishes that commonly afflict 19th-century books. Occasional foxing or marginal darkening. Plain-pencilled bookseller notes to rear fep. A rare survival of a most uncommon edition. Price factors in faults. |
Additional information
| Weight | 0.165 kg |
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