Parables of our Lord. by [HUMPHREYS, Henry Noel].

8vo (160 × 110 mm), pp. [32] entirely printed in chromolithography with gold and silver on thick paper. Original blindstamped black calf over thick bevelled boards, gilt titles to upper and lover cover in central cartouches. Very light rubbing and a few small scratches, but an unusually nice copy. Contemporary inscription to verso of front free endpaper: ‘From Miss Bonnell to the dear Relative Miss Harvey Bonnell as a souvenir on her natal day December 1847, together with armorial Harvey Bonnell family bookplate on the facing blank.

First edition, an excellent copy, of one of the earliest of Humphreys’ well known medieval revivalist publications, entirely printed in colour in imitation of illuminated manuscripts. Parables of our Lord was issued both in this elaborate stamped black calf binding and a heavier papier mâché binding. The latter often broke the gutta perca binding of the book, leaving the pages loose. In this calf copy all pages are secure.

The colophon reads: ‘In designing the ornaments to the sacred parables contained in this volume, the illuminator has sought to render them in each instance appropriate. The work of illumination was commenced on the first day of May the year of Our Lord MDCCCXLV and terminated on the tenth day of Febry. MDCCCXLVI. HNH.’ McLean, Victorian Publishers’ Book-bindings in Paper p. 13, 51; McLean, Victorian Book Design and Colour Printing (2nd ed.) p. 99-103 and 210.