An abridgment of heraldry, or a very plain and easy way for the ready understanding of that art. And for compleating the same, here is added forty crests, being of great use for such as study the art

Folger bibliographic ID: 354349
Folger call number: ART 270705
Folger holdings ID: 502575
Accession Number: 270705

General notes

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Item information about Folger ART 270705

From dealer's description: "Engraved broadside. Large folio (sheet approx. 48.5 x 61cm; platemark approx. 48 x 58cm) tip of one corner with small loss of paper (not affecting printed surface), two negligible marginal tears, old central horizontal fold, a strong impression on good quality paper, very good. This rare large format engraved broadside offers “An abridgment of heraldry, or a very plain and easy way for the ready understanding of that art.” It bears the imprint of the printer and publisher Christopher Browne (fl. 1688-1712) noting his London premises “at the Globe at the West end of St. Pauls Church as you turn to Ludgate” where “you may have maps larg[e] or small and Mr, Morden’s map of England with the roads and tables, the 12 Roman emperours in posture after Titian ... also French Dutch and Italian prints ...” The engraved text at the centre of the sheet offers an “explanation” of the content: “I have heare endeavoured to put much in a little roome, and to be as short as I could in giving you a method to blazon any coat whatsoever; I hope it will not seeme hard, all the colours are hatcht according to the first seven escocheons, and taken care to name every charge at least once ...” The use of different patterns of engraved hatching to represent different colours seems to be an ingenious method of avoiding the extra cost of having to colour the sheet. We have not been able to trace another example of this first state with the imprint of Christopher Browne. A reissue (c.1710?) of the same sheet, with the plate re-engraved with the name of Browne’s successor George Willdey, appears also to be rare (see: Moule, Thomas, Bibliotheca Heraldica Magnæ Brittaniæ ... London, 1822, pp.254)." Ordered from Samuel Gedge, D 9208, 2018-05-21, Catalog 26, item 12