Written In English
This volume of The Book of Common Prayer was printed in 1837 by Oxford’s University Press for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Beautifully bound in richly tooled brown leather, it features elaborate blind stamping with scrolling florals and a central diamond medallion. The embossed cover is especially striking, with the society's seal prominently displayed—“Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge 1698.” The edges of the pages retain a warm gilt tone, slightly muted with age but still catching the light softly. Internally, the typography is clean and restrained, with contents laid out in a formal and easy-to-navigate structure. The book begins with a crisp title page, a list of contents, and proceeds with the full rites, psalms, and prayers in a clear serif typeface designed for readability during services.
Condition:
In terms of condition, the book presents beautifully with some expected signs of age and handling. The leather boards remain sound and deeply embossed, though they show rubbing along the edges and spine, especially to the crown and base. The spine bands are slightly worn, and there are a few minor surface cracks consistent with shelf wear and age. Internally, the pages are clean overall with only mild toning and the occasional fox mark, mostly toward the endpapers. The hinges are intact, and the binding is tight. There’s an attractive 19th-century bookplate on the front pastedown from John Reeve of Leadenham House, Lincolnshire—an appealing provenance for collectors of English ecclesiastical works. Overall, it’s a finely preserved and beautifully presented devotional piece from the early Victorian era, perfect for display or quiet reflection.
