Drawings Use Present Time by Flags (2 results)

40 pages, lithographed title page as a frontispiece and 170 full page coloured lithographic plates by Weller & Graham, 7 tipped-in plates (of updated flags), errata slips and overlaid colourplates (some on card) tipped in, the Cross of St George cut-out loose, a few neat initialled manuscript corrections and notes in a contemporary (likely official) hand, contemporary owner's signature on the blank fly-leaf; original glazed black cloth boards 27.6 x 18.5 cm, gilt embossed title with the British coat of arms and spine title in gilt, expertly re-backed mounting the original spine, a handsome copy, in very good condition, the fine coloured plates in unusually bright clean condition. Rare. Published for the British Civil Service, and an "Official Copy". This handsome volume includes numerous national flags current at the time of printing and were regularly updated. The listing of the badge of the former British Central Africa Protectorate has been struck out and amended in manuscript to Nyasaland (Malawi), likely by an official hand (many of the manuscript corrections are initialled). Badges of colonies and dependencies are listed under British Empire: Australia, New Zealand, North America and West Indies, Hong Kong & the Straits Settlement, India, Ceylon, Borneo and Sarawak: a time-lapse of geo-political and colonial power. There are 15 coloured lithographic illustrations of the flags of Siam, 12 of the flags of China together with 13 "Badges emblazoned on the Envoys Flag over the Dragon. for Envoys of other ranks", 17 illustrations of the flags of Japan and 39 illustrations for Russia. An errata slip for the United States advises that as of the 4th July 1908 " the number of stars is to be increased from 45 to 46".

Condition: very good. London, HMSO 1916. Stout quarto later half morocco; 40pp, extra colour litho title, two unnumbered and 201 of 203(?) colour litho plates numbered to 200 with three bis. Two of the original plates have been removed but this has been extended with the insertion of another 145 colour litho plates of varying sizes and one handpainted plate. Signs of use of course but the flaws are negligible really. A splendid copy of a book scarce enough in any form - it was produced for the public service - this copy has been scrupulously kept up to date for a decade with the insertion of the additional plates as they were issued and numerous notes in manuscript, duplicated typescript and print recording official errata and updates. These date from 1916 to 1925. A note preserved at the front records that this belonged to L.E. Forsyth of E.H. Brett & Sons of Balmain East (in Sydney), "flag manufacturer - specializes in printing (in lieu of painting) of colonial & foreign badges on flags". Brett & Sons began as sailmakers and expanded into various canvas and textile related fields as the century went on. *This item might cost more to post than quoted by abe.