Lay's Auctioneers
Lot 65
Richard Carew of Antonie, Esq The Survey of Cornwall. First Edition, April 23rd, 1602 Printed by S. Stafford for John Jaggard and are to bee sold neere Temple-Barre at the signe of the hand and starre, London. Printer’s device to titlepage (McKerrow, 281), titlepage slightly browned. Three former owners’ signatures to recto and one to verso of titlepage, manuscript note to titlepage (see notes below), pp.(x)+ 159 (for 318)+(6)(corrections and table), 4to., nineteenth century full calf, gilt, morocco label (STC 4615: Lowndes p.371: Boase and Courtney p.57).This is possibly a 'Strawberry Hill' copy. Red ink ms note on titlepage in hand of J. T. Tregellas reads ‘Purchased by Mr Strong of Bristol at the recent celebrated sale at Strawberry Hill and repurchased of him by J. T. Tregellas Sept 21st 1844,' with signature of J. T. Tregellas dated 1844, Truro. Strong of Bristol bought heavily at the Strawberry Hill Sale, working closely with Thorpe, in what one academic writer has described as ‘perhaps an early version of the ‘knock-out’. His subsequent catalogues were filled with Walpole’s books. However, although there was a copy of Carew’s ‘CORNWALL’ in the second day’s sale, Tuesday 26th April 1842, in lot 54, this appears to have been a second edition of 1723. There is no first edition definitely identified in the sale catalogue. But, although it clearly was, and is, a selling point to be able to have said that this was Walpole’s copy, the notion cannot be dismissed on the ground that the work is not in the sale catalogue. Not everything was listed. For example the sale was advertised to occupy twenty four days from April 25th to May 21st. The catalogue was badly compiled, and so much dissatisfaction was expressed at the intention of selling some of the collections en masse, that the contents of the seventh and eighth day’s sale, which consisted of prints, drawings and books, were withdrawn and re-catalogued, and disposed of at a sale at Robins rooms, Covent Garden, which lasted from the 13th to the 23rd June.The other signatures on the recto of the titlepage are ‘Geo Burnett 1754’ and ‘W. J. Rawlings’ Hayle Foundry July 1847.On the verso is the signature of J. Arundell (son of Sir Thomas Arundell) was a colonel of horse, which an unconfirmed pencil note on the verso of the upper free endpaper ascribes to John Arundell of Trerice (1576-1656), the defender of Pendennis Castle, the last castle but one to surrender to parliamentary forces. Carew was his brother-in-law, having married Arundell’s half-sister, Julian.With the bookplate of John Davies. A very good copy of a scarce work.There are no illustrations for this work (as called for), although a charming small woodcut to the title page and a headpiece to the dedication. Again, this is a fine copy (most of the sale is), with some toning and a small amount of spotting, as would be expected.
