THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

Oxford: Printed at the University Press; London: Henry Frowde, ca. 1898. 155 x 92 mm. (6 1/8 x 3 3/4"). [284] leaves.
LOVELY LATE 19TH CENTURY CONTINENTAL SILVER BINDING laid over purple velvet, upper cover with central cartouche engraved "Katherine"; lower cover with repoussé Virgin and Child, each cover with an image of a chalice wrapped in a bow and hanging over an open book, rococo frame with several swirls, flowers, and lattice-work patterns, small hallmarks below the Virgin's feet (see below), decorative spine with a central (blank) cartouche, the bust of a putti with a bow hanging around its neck, swirls, lattice, and flowers, original working clasps. ◆A small area where residue of applied polish touches the cloth underneath the silver, but A FINE SPECIMEN, with virtually no signs of use inside or out.

This highly decorative silver binding must have been a treasured object for the woman who owned it, being beautifully crafted and showing very few signs of wear. Elegant acanthus and foliate swirls form an ornate frame around the central cartouche, polished to an almost mirror-like finish. The array of shapes and textures, as well as the lovely repoussé image of the Virgin and Child on the lower cover give this binding a wealth of visual interest and make it a pleasure to hold in one's hands. The hallmarks beneath the feet of the Virgin are small and extremely difficult to see (even with the aid of a magnifying glass), but with careful observation, we can just make out the image of a walking lion (the symbol for .925 sterling in England), the letter "C" (for the year 1898), the letter "F" (for "foreign," indicating it was imported from outside the United Kingdom), and the image of a leopard's face (for the city of London). It also bears the initials "W M" inside a diamond shape, indicating that the "foreign agent" (i.e., the importer) was William Moering, who was registered with the assay offices from 1892-1904. It was most likely crafted in Germany or the Netherlands, and the name "Katherine" would have been added later. Although we know nothing more about the owner other than her first name, the ornateness of the binding and engraved personalization suggest that it was probably intended as a special gift, perhaps as a wedding present, or on the occasion of her First Communion..