Print, book, book-illustration (BM 1992,0406.78.a 1)

Defoe, Daniel. History of the Plague of London. (1665.) London: Thomas Murby, 32, Bouverie Street, Fleet Street, E. C. and Simpkin, Marshall & Co, Stationers’ Hall Court, [1865?] [London: printed by] Thos. Murby, 32 Bouverie Street, Fleet Street, E. C. 203p. 5 plates. The illustrations are designed by Frederick Shields [i. e. Frederick James Shields], and have his monogram of a crossed “F” and “S” . Some of the plates are signed “Swain Sc.” [i.e Joseph Swain]. The list of illustrations cites six plates. However, only five plates are in this volume, with the original frontispiece plate entitled: “The decision of faith” being missing. Instead the frontispiece plate is entitled: “Solomon Eagle denouncing the Impenitent”, which ought to have been bound between pages 100 and 101. Robin de Beaumont's notes regarding price and dating of this copy are written on the front blank paper recto. The bookplate: “Ex Libris V. De S. Pinto” is on the front pastedown.


Binding: Yellow endpapers and pastedowns. The front pastedown is missing. Purple (now faded) sand-grain cloth. The upper and lower covers are blocked in identically in blind and in relief ion the borders and on the corners. Three fillets are blocked in blind on the borders, the outermost of which is thick. On the corners, a pattern of curling stems and leaves is blocked in relief. On the centre of the upper cover, the words: “/ Laurie’s/ entertaining/ library/ “ are blocked in blind. Along the spine, the title”/ History of the plague/” is blocked in gold.