Bibliotheca Sussexiana. A Descriptive Catalogue, Accompanied By Historical and Biographical Notices, Pf the Manuscripts and Printed Books Contained in the the Library of His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex in Kensignton Palace. Volume I Parts I & II

London/ Glasgow: Longman and Co.; Payne and Foss; Harding and Co.; H Bohn; Smith and Son, 1827. Volume One Parts I & II - Theology, Manuscripts & Printed Books. Volume 1 Part 1 - 24, [4], ccxciv pages, portrait frontis. & 14 plates; Volume 1 part 2 - [24], 516 pages, 5 plates. Dark red half leather over marbled boards, 4 raised bands to spine, with gilt titling, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, small contemporary bookseller label to front pastedown of part 2. both parts with the armorial bookplate of Hugh, 1st Duke of Westminster, dated 1884, to front pastedowns. The Duke of Sussex (1773-1843), sixth son of King George III, formed the collection from about 1815 with the assistance of the surgeon and bibliographer Thomas J. Pettigrew. Upon the Duke's death, the library was sold at auction in 1844-45; the biggest buyers being Sir Thomas Phillipps and the British Museum. The library included a Gutenberg Bible, the 1462 Bible, the 1460 Catholicon, and many important early MSS. Fletcher, English Book Collectors, p.12-"Of the sons of George III., the Duke of Sussex alone appears to have inherited his father's love of collecting books, and he formed a magnificent library in his apartments at Kensington Palace. The collection consisted of more than fifty thousand volumes, twelve thousand of which were theological. It included a very considerable number of early Hebrew and other rare manuscripts, and about one thousand editions of the Bible. An elaborate catalogue of a portion of it, entitled Bibliotheca Sussexiana, was compiled by Dr. T.J. Pettigrew, the Duke's librarian." A handsome set of this important catalogue, with the additional provenance of the Westminster connection. Some foxing to prelims. and edges. [16299/781]. First Edition. Half Bound Over Marbled Boards. Very Good. 280mm. X 200mm.. Book.