The Sacred Iris: A Literary and Religious Offering, with fine Engravings of Scripture Subjects (Mary Wilson's copy)

An anthology of poetry and prose, including 'Notices of the Canadian Indians', from contributors such as S C Hall, George Smith, Bernard Barton, Rev Robert Hall. Beautiful copperplate gift inscription "Susan and Fanny Burgess. The gift of their friend Maria Stone 1835". Laid in letter dated 1972 from Mr V C Andree of Havant, Hampshire to Mrs Mary Wilson, wife of Prime Minister Harold Wilson, "Please accept this Book of Poems as promised". Bound in embossed black leather, all edges gilt, engraved plates with tissue guards. In good condition, backstrip loose, a one inch piece is detached but present, the binding is firm, pages are clean and bright. A scarce title. This book comes from the private collection of British Prime Minister Harold Wilson and his wife Mary who died recently at the age of 102. During his lifetime Harold Wilson kept the book in the Ashley Gardens mansion flat in Westminster that the couple shared until his death in 1995. After she lost her husband Mary Wilson continued to live in the couple's flat, surrounded by a lifetime's accumulation of books and memories until 2016.