1. Holme, Randle [Randle Holme III (1627–1700)] / [Provenance: Thomas Pennant].

The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon. Containing the several variety of Created Beings, and how born in Coats of Arms, both Foreign and Domestick. With the instruments used in all Trades and Sciences, together with their Terms of Art. Also the Etymologies, Definitions, and Historical Observations on the same, explicated and explained according to our modern Language. Very usefel [sic] for all Gentlemen, Scholars, Divines, and all such as Desire any Knowledge in Arts and Sciences. By Randle Holme, of the City of Chester, Gentleman Sewer in Extraordinary to his late Majesty King Charles 2. And sometimes Deputy for the Kings of Arms. [With 48 Plates, showing hundreds of symbols].

First Edition. Chester, Printed for the Author, 1688. Folio (24 cm x 35 cm). Pagination: Engraved Titlepage by P. Edwards, Printed Titlepage, [10 unnumbered], [Book I]: 107, [9 unnumbered] pages / Book II: [1], 488 pages / Book III: [1], 501, [1 unnumbered] pages / Plus [Bound with the rare Index]: “Index of the Names of Persons contained in the Academy of Armory and Blazon by Randle Holme. Printed at Chester in One Volume, Folio, 1688”. London, McMillan / Robert Triphook, 1821. Pagination: [1], 46 pages. Hardcover / Modern Masterbinding with original endpapers bound in, bearing all the original ExLibris of previous owners. Stunning, modern half-leather with marbled-paper-covered Boards and gilt lettering on spine. All edges in original gilt. In protective Mylar. Provenance: From the library of welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant. Historically inherited from Thomas Pennant’s father, David Pennant of Bighton, who received it as gift from Randle Holme. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. See original, tipped-in, sales-note from AUctioneer “Henry Young and Sons Ltd.”. See also extensive images on our company’s web site. An extremely rare book, purchased as Duplicate from the Historical Library of the Athenaeum in Liverpool, with an ExLibris of the “Public Libraries of Liverpool” decommissioned from the “Historic Society of Lancashire & Cheshire”, formerly presented with an original ExLibris from “Jacob Kendrick of Warrington” (with his original ExLibris). Titlepage by Edwards cropped and pasted on stronger paper. Original titlepage cropped and pasted on normal paper (these two defects were already indentified by auctioneer Henry Young & Sons” and are clear markers of this being the original Randle Holme-Pennant-copy. Contents-page slightly frayed only. Corner of one page in the contents section torn. An extremely scarce publication, especially with the addition of the later published Index of Names. Interior in excellent condition.

2. [Conner of Manch] Burke, Sir Bernard / [Ulster King of Arms].

A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland [Including “An Essay on the Position of British Gentry”]..

Fourth Edition. Two Volumes (complete set). London, Harrison, Pall Mall, Bookseller to the Queen and H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, 1863. Slim-Quarto (17,5 cm x 25 cm). XVIII, 1759 pages (Two Volumes with continued pagination). Hardcover / Original, red half-leather with original marbled endpapers. Both Volumes in protective Mylar. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Both Volumes firm and strong in their bindings.

3. [Saunders, Richard] Rider, Cardanus.

Rider’s British Merlin: For the Year of our Lord 1799. Being the Third after Bissextile or Leap-Year. Adorned with many delightful and useful Verities, fitting all Capacities in the Islands of Great Britain’s Monarchy. With notes of Husbandry, Fairs, Marts, High Roads and Tables for many necessary uses. Compiled for the Country’s Benefit by Cardanus Rider. [With: “The Arms of the Peers, Peeresses &c. of England, Scotland & Ireland the Insignia of the Different Orders of Knighthood with the Baronets of Great Britain and the Dates of their Creations” [With: “Heraldry in Miniature” / Including a small section to the end of the publication with “British Governments in America and the West-Indies with Upper Canada – Lower Canada – Cape Breton – Virgin Island – Montserrat – Grenada – Jamaica – Leeward Islands – Barbados [Barbadoes]” etc.]. [ With a section on “Peers, Peeresses and Bishops of Ireland – That are Not Peers of England”].

London, Printed for the Company of Stationers, 1799. Slim-Octavo (9,5 cm x 16 cm). Collation complete with parts of the book interleaved: 60, XXXVI, [122 + 4 misbound planches with coats of arms, pagination incorrect but all plates available that are called for], plus 321 pages [House of Peers of Great Britain with misprinted pagination to the beginning of the 321 pages]. Original Hardcover / 18th century or early 19th century red leather. Stronger rubbed but firm and intact binding. Interior with tear to page 15/16, some minor foxing and browning only, some writing to interleaved pages in a child’s hand. All plates with Heraldic Bearings, Coat of Arms, Emblemata, Badges etc. included. Here the rare 1799 publication with over 500 examples of Heraldry of Ireland, Scotland and England. Includes Irish Earls, Irish Barons, Irish Archbishops, Irish Viscounts, etc. [Coat of Arms of Fingal, Glandore, Lisburne, Winterton, Arran, Barrymore, Marq. Donegall, Clanricarde, Fife, Lowth, Upper Ossory etc. etc.]

4. Thorp, Thomas.

Catalogue Of Old Books On The Topography, Archaeology, Genealogy And Heraldry Of Great Britian And Ireland. Cat. No. 415.

Guildford, Thomas Thorp, 1931. 14 cm x 21,5 cm. 163 pages. Original Softcover. Cover with crease. Ball- pen mark on the front cover, otherwise in very good condition with minor signs of external wear.

5. [English History Collection] – Barclays Bank Ltd.

The Story of a Site.

England, Charles Barker and Sons Limited, 1959. 20.5 cm x 26 cm. 24 pages. Several black and white photographs throughout publication. Original Hardcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear and discolouration on endpapers only. Original calling card of bank manager inside cover.

6. Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles.

A Complete Guide to Heraldry. [With a chapter: “The Status and the Meaning of a Coat of Arms in Great Britain”]. Illustrated by Nearly 800 Designs, Mainly from Drawings by Graham Johnston, Herald Painter to the Lyon Court.

Revised Edition. London and Edinburgh, T. Nelson & Sons, Ltd. / T.C. & E.C. Jack, Ltd., no year [c.1925]. 18 cm x 24 cm. Frontispiece, XII, 647 pages. With 779 illustrations and 9 plates including frontispiece. Hardcover [publisher’s original tanned cloth] with lettering on spine and front board. Large heraldic device on front board. With rare illustrated dustjacket in protective mylar. Deckled fore and tail-edges. Gilt top edges. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Dustjacket chipped and torn. Some minor foxing to endpapers and edges. Some untrimmed pages. Unmarked interior.