RARE Limited edition (thus first edition) The Beginnings of Printing in London

  

This publication (not to be confused with a facsimile published in 1980) is an original published in 1928 by The Lanston Monotype Corporation as a souvenir of that year's Lord Mayor's Show, which took place on 9 November. The publication was designed by the Corporation's typographic consultant Stanley Morison. It has a cover with an repeat design in Monotype fleurons/ornaments, printed in green on gold-coloured paper, which is folded and stuck to the end-papers. The title and author of the publication are printed on a label (42 x 75mm/1.6 x 3in) which is glued by hand to the front cover.

The account (of the beginnings of printing in London) was written "at very short notice" according the dedication facing the opening page, by Dr. The book has four thread-stitched signatures of eight pages, giving 32 pages in all, of which 14 are printed. There are four wood-engraved illustrations taken from various editions of'The Chronicles of England'. The overall size is approximately 212 x 137mm (8.5 x 5.5in).

This is an extremely rare and highly collectable item which was originally printed and published in a ONE-OFF LIMITED EDITION OF 100 COPIES. It is possible that this is the sole extant copy, other than those that may be in specialist libraries and collections. And please follow me, as I regularly add other publications from my collection.