On offer is a super manuscript book detailing the craft of Freemasonry. The work of perhaps as many as six writers there are about 87 handwritten pages, no date though the endpapers are watermarked 1832. There are some initial pages cut but the tome starts with 'Lecture 1st Degree' and filled to the last pages with no further pages cut so it appears complete. Pliable red leather boards with gilt decorations to faces and spine attest to the value once placed on the book. Spine is heavily chipped at ends with about 3/4" missing at each. Spine is also heavily rubbed along length and has a few holes in leather. Corners turned in and rubbed with rubbing to extremities and scuffing and scratching to boards. Rear board has a dime sized piece rubbed through to cardstock. Textblock is detached from boards and spine. Some light foxing to endpapers and about 6 pages have a slight tatter at top of page. Super relic of early Mason craft.

On offer is a superb collection of early, 1790-1850s, British politics; being an extensive letter archive comprising more than 35 individual letters, all written and signed by leading political figures of the day. All relate to political, peerage, and House of Lords affairs. Extended research and in large part thanks to the Spottiswoode clerk (Spottiswoode being a prominent firm of solicitors through which most of the early peerage communicated) who docketed the letters the signatories are found as follows: Lord Montagu (1832, 3pp); Alex Munro (1797, 1pp); Earl of Strathmore (1821, 1pp); Marquis of Tweedale (1834, 1pp); Earl of Morton (1821, 1pp / 1830, 3pp 8vo); Lord MacDonald (1816, 1pp); Duke of Montrose (1796, 1pp / 1810, 3pp 8vo); Lord Perth (1797, 1pp); Lord Ramsey (1838, 2+pp 8vo); Earl of Roslyn (1825, 4pp 8vo / 1842, 2+pp / 1880, 1pp 8vo); Lord Torphichene (1801, 1pp); Lord Stormont (1791, half-page); Duke of Somerset (1827, half-page); Lord Sinclair (1850, 1pp); Viscount Strathallan (1803, 1pp 8vo / 1814, 2pp 8vo); Earl of Selkirk (1858, 1pp 8vo); Earl of Wemyss & March (1828, 1pp 8vo / 1835, 1pp 8vo / 1837, 1pp 8vo); Earl Rollo (1835, 1pp); Lord Rederdale (ND. 1+pp 8vo); Lord Reay (1832, 2+pp 8vo); Lord Ruthern(?) (1841, 1pp); Zetland (1840, half-page); Lord Willoughby (1832, 2pp 8vo); Lord Walsingham (1790, 1pp / 1811, 1pp 8vo); Lord Riversdale (1837, 1pp 8vo); Lord Osbourne (1817, 1pp); Lord Arthur Lennox (1846, 2+pp 8vo); Earl of Home (1842, 1pp 8vo). Overall VG. (More info)