SPL Hand Coloured Rare Book Collection Featuring Norman R Bobins

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HUMPHREYS, Noel.
The Illuminator.

Henry Noel Humphreys (1810–1879) became fascinated by medieval manuscripts during a stay in Italy as a young man, and they came to be his major artistic influence. His illuminated books are just one of the countless Victorian paeans to medievalism that culminated in the pre-Raphaelite movement.

Published
London: Barnard & Son n.d. [1862]
Plates
25
Binding/Size
M=4to
Value
0-5000
Published
London: Barnard & Son n.d. [1862]
Ref
503

Folio. Half crimson calf over marbled boards with single gilt filet to boards; raised bands in blind to spine; title in gilt to spine; bookbinders label to lower front pastedown; edges lightly soiled; some plates with light foxing; Good condition with only occasional foxing. A scarce Noel Humphrey's chromolithographed hand-coloured production with 21 pages of illuminations. Illustrated by Day & Son Color illustration. FIRST EDITION. Purple ink stamp: "Thos H. Moxon" to prelim. *Ron Norman of Hartlepool carried out rebinding and restoration work on this book. (Ronnorm@aol.com)* Coloured plates in order: 1. Frontispiece. Medieval Religious Illumination. 2. Title page. 3. Initial letter 'T' and page of text surrounded by an intricate coloured border design. 4. Initial letter 'T' and a page of text with a coloured border. 5. Assorted initial letters in colour. In different languages. 6. Attractive border decoration to a page of text concerning 'Antique Illumination.' 7. Mediaeval Greek illuminator. 8. Various border illuminations used to decorate medieval manuscripts etc. 9. Illuminated scenes of the construction of a large building, showing the stone being quarried, stonemasons at work, nobleman overseeing the work. Latin inscription beneath. 10. Various border illuminations used to decorate medieval manuscripts etc. 11. The month of January, complete with 'red-letter' days and filled with ornate and attractive marginal illuminations. 12. As above, but for February. 13. Border illumination to a page of text. 14. Stunning illuminations to a page of Latin text. 15. The month of March, complete with 'red letter' days and other religious observances with a series of medieval farming illuminations. 16. A Russo-Byzantine Book-Cover, 14th or 15th Century. 17. Large initial letter 'S.' 18. The month of April, with religious observances marked out, surrounded by beautiful illuminations. 19. Various medieval illuminations used in manuscripts. 20. Large initial letter 'B.' 21. The month of May in muted tones. 22. Initial letters 'C' & 'P' complete with attractive border illumination, beginning a page of text. 23. A stunning illumination of a page of Latin text. 24. Ladies-in-Waiting (?), all seated in a royal bed-chamber, watching a woman kneeling while presenting an illuminated book to their noblewoman. 25. Initial letter 'A' and attractive marginal illumination to a page of text.