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This copy is offered for its rare gilt tooled prize labels on the exterior of the front and back boards. Book size - c. 6 x 3.75 inches, pp. xxxi + 191 + 4 eng. plates, marbled endpapers, hardback in full leather binding . Book condition - Good ; contents clean, no foxing, some moderate staining to the blank recto of each engraving, small ink inscription (" Thos. L. Tudor ") at the top of the title page, a few minor pencil marks on the front and back preliminaries, paper repair to the verso of the second front flyleaf, narrow inner hinge area of endpapers adhering restricting full opening of covers; full tree calf binding with gilt decoration and oval red leather prize panels on front and back boards - the prize labels read (front ) " Fourth Midsummer Prize First Class At Mr Hodgon's Academy Leeds" and (back) "Adjudged to Master S: Walker of Leeds 1790" - decorated gilt spine panels ; corners worn with some loss, boards' edges with small losses but generally sound, back of clean appearance with slight loss of gilt around the edges but the gilt label in the centre remains complete and clear, back and front hinges show some repair work (neatly done), spine with loss at both ends and loss of headbands, spine title label absent, two longitudinal splits the length of the spine, spine gilt rubbed and dulled, front with rubbing and loss of gilt around the edges, the central prize label remains complete and bright. Please see photos for indications of condition and contents. Prize bindings, even quite early examples, consist usually of an armorial or other device, denoting the awarding body , on the front board of a book, and a printed and/or written award certification on the front paste-down or written on the flyleaf or actually bound in internally. Having specially prepared external labels, as in this case and on both boards, would have likely entailed a deal more expense than the more conventional style, so its use would have been very limited. Despite the general wear of the book consistent with its over two hundred years existence, the labels have remained in remarkably good condition. The only information I can find about Mr Hodgson's Academy is that ( in 1794 ) it was in Park Row, Leeds and was a school and not a military academy. Seller Inventory # 2452
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