Lot 147: The Book of Common Prayer. London: John Sturt with the permission of John Baskett, 1717.

The Book of Common Prayer. London: John Sturt with the permission of John Baskett, 1717. 8° (200 x 120mm), ALL-ENGRAVED by John Sturt (1658-1730) with 2 portraits and 114 historical vignettes, ornamental initials and historiated borders, text ruled in red (lacks volvelle on the table of moveable Sundays, some waterstaining at lower corners), contempoary black goatskin tooled in gilt to a 'cottage-roof' panel design with central arabesque and distinctive strawberry tool at borders, gilt spine panels, gilt edges. Provenance: subscriber's copy belonging to Robert Sheppard, engraver; his gift to Elisha Biscoe (with his autograph letter, signed, one page, dated 6 July 1758, stating: 'In the many obligations I have to you be so kind as to add one more by accepting this book, as a small token of my gratitude') -- John Hely-Hutchinson, 1946 (bookplate; lot 168 in his sale, Sotheby's, 12 March 1956, to Commin for £21).

A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF AN ALL-ENGRAVED WORK, the lettering being no more than a millimetre high. At the foot of the subscribers' list, which includes 'Mr. Robt. Sheppard, Engraver', comes the notice: 'The binders are desired not to beat these books, it doing great damage to all engrav'd printing.'

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