Author: BENTINCK.- 3rd DUKE OF PORTLAND.- FORE-EDGE PAINTING.- ALMANACS.- THO. WRIGHT [Ed.]
Title: A wonderful sammelband containing twelve almanacs for the year 1771, bound in contemp. full red clf., upper and lower cover with gilttooled handstamp crowned 'P' [=William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland [1738 - 1809]. All almanacs dated 1771, the year of the binding, as indicated on compartment 2 of the spine '1771'. W. a watercolour fore-edge painting of Buckingham Palace, mainly in the colours green, grey-white, blue....
Description: London, Printed for the Company of Stationers [Printed by various firms: Parker, Brown, Bettenham, Bowyer & Nichols, Harrison]., 1771. 8vo. W. 12 almanacs for the year 1771 printed titles in red and black, almanack portions in red andf black letterpress, all almanacs w. a variety of woodc. portraits, scenes, math. digrams and ills. Excellent contemp. full red mor, [Christopher Chapman??] spine elaborately gilttooled, in 5 compartments. Covers w. a single giltruled floral roll, 4 floral corner handstamps and a small central crowned initial 'P'. [William Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, the crowned initial in all probability a 19th c. addition to the covers by the later [4th or 5th] Dukes of Portland. Corners w. small rest. in matching colour, both outer hinges expertly restored. [All almanacs in 3 quires of 8 lvs., A-C8]. (All almanacks in 48 pp.). (All edges gilt & the front edge hiding a nice fore-edge painting of what appears to be Buckingham Palace, overall the colours in good condition). (Lower paste down endp. a small stamp in ink, a crowned shield, a monogram reading 'DMG', the capital M central and in a much larger point size.). (Red brown twopence duty taxation stamps on 11 of the 12 almanac title pages; overall the text of the almanacs clean, only a few w. occasional light foxing, a few spots, at times the bookblock a little short/cropped, no loss to letterpress or decorated borders, some loss to duty stamps.). (Original comb marbled endpapers.). Contents of the binding: 1. ANDREWS, W., Remarkable News from the Stars, or, an Ephemeris for 1771. With Observations upon the eclipses, solar ingresses, ... (3 woodc. ills.). . 2. The Gentleman's Diary, or the Mathematical Repository.' 3. The Ladies' Diary: or Woman's Almanack. (W. woodc. portrait on title Çhatrlotte', woodc. math. diagrs.). 4. MOORE, FR., Vox Stellarum, or, a Loyal Almanack. (W. 2 woodc. ills.). 5. PARTRIDGE, J., Merlinus Liberatus, being an Almanack For the Year of our Redemption 1771. (W. 1 woodc. ill.). 6. Parker's Ephemeris. (W. woodc. portrait of King... on title). 7. PEARSE, Salem, The Coelestial Diary. (W. 2 woodc. ills.). 8. POOR ROBIN, Poor Robin's almanac, 1771. (W. 1 woodc. ill.). 9. SAUNDERS, R., The English Apollo: or Useful Companion. (W. 2 woodc. ills.). 10. Speculum Anni: or Season of the Seasons. 11. WING, Tycho, [In Greek:] Olympia Domata, or. an Almanack for the Year ... 1771. 12. WHITE, Robert, [In Greek:] Atlas Ouranios, The Coelestial Atlas; Or, a New Ephemeris. From the library of William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, Marquess of Titchfield, Earl of Portland, Viscount Woodstock, Baron of Cirencester, important Statesman. Bentinck was elected British Prime Minister twice, in April to December 1783 and from March 1807 to October 1809. Married Lady Dorothy Cavendish, the only daughter of William Cavendish 4th Duke of Devonshire and Lady Charlotte Boyle. See Bernard Capp, English Almanacs 1500 - 1800 Astrology & the Popular Press [Cornell Univ. Pres 1979], i.l.c. This gathering of almanacs probably all compiled by THOMAS WRIGHT of EATON, see Capp. spec. CH. 8, pp. 238 - 269: 'In 1730 Tycho Wing compiled the almanacs of Coley, Moore and Andrews as well as his own. In the 1760s and 1770s Thomas Wright of Eaton ... wrote Wing, Moore, Partridge, Andrews, Saunders and (from 1775) Season, in collaboration with Henry Andrews and probably Vincent Wing. Henry Andrews... was a self-taught and respected astronomer who supplied the astronomical data for most of the Company's editions. After Wright's death he turned his hand to predictions, and compiled Moore's 'Vox Stellarum' with immense success until his death in 1820.': Margeret Cavendish Harley married William 2nd Duke of Portland 11 July 1734. Her mother, widow to Edward Harley 2nd Earl of Oxford, lived at Welbeck, where she spent 40.000 GBP on improvements, sold the mss for 10.000 GBP, medals portraits curiosities sold at auction. 'and the library was sold to the London Bookseller Thomas Osbourne for 13.000 GBP in 1741!.

Keywords: almanach astronomy ephemerides prognostics