HAND WRITTEN GERMAN PRAYERBOOK – c. 1800

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

In very good condition. Bound in original roan, tooled ornamentally with a decorative edging and a diamond pattern to front and rear. Two original leather and brass hinge clasps fasten to fixings on front board. Front pastedown a little wormed. Front and rear gutters cracking although text block sits very soundly within boards. Detailed hand written text commences on front loose endpaper. Text densely and neatly written in two shades of ink: red and black. Rubrics written in red separate one section from the other and also serve as guidelines explaining the purpose of a prayer to the reader and instructions on how it should be performed. The red maintains its vibrant colour while the black remains crisp against the cream of the page. Leaves hand numbered 1 – 280 to top right of each recto. Leaves 1-17 show signs of worming to top third resulting in difficulty reading only the occasional word. Leaves 18 -21, 86, 154 -157, 203 and 222 not accounted for although do not appear to have been removed, most probably a result of misnumbering as noted on collation. 4 blank leaves to rear. Rear endpapers written over in same hand.