A Display of Heraldrie... Reduced by the Study and Industry of John Guillim late Pursuivant at Armes - WITH HENRY JAMES’S ZINCOGRAPHED FACSIMILE LEAVES

A most unusual copy, improved by Sir Henry James (1803-1877, Director of the Ordnance Survey) with several examples of his invention in action: pages quite beautifully reproduced through photo zincography. This innovation arose out of James’s need to be able to reproduce maps effectively but is remarkable effective at reproducing missing leaves in a book such as this.

Small folio bound in 19th century calf, contained within an ill-fitting solander box. Bookplate ‘William Basevis Sanders’ (Keeper of H.M. Records) and below it ‘W Frank Perkins Southampton’ to the front pastedown. Cracking to the inner hinges. Henry James has inserted a zincographed title page and three subsequent leaves which are, it has to be said, excellent examples of his craft, and written opposite: ‘The title page of this book and the six following pages have been copies by Photo: papyrography. Henry James. Colonel R. Eng.s 27 June 1864.’

A further typed slip from A M Southon notes the presence of a further ‘specimen... at page 391’ - this reproduces a leaf that is present and is laid in. Henry James has also signed the new title page.

The surviving text is browned and often stained; offsetting from a rusty pair of scissors (pp176-7), paper damage to foreedge with old repair Cc4, similarly Gg4; staining to Pp1; Vv4 wanting; Yy1-4 wanting; Fff2, lower half of leaf repaired with blank sheet. Marginal paper repairs to final leaves.