The British Almanac And Companion, For The Year Of Our Lord 1893, Containing Calendar, Monthly Notices, Principal Fairs, Sunday Lessons; Astronomical Facts And Phenomena; And With Full Information Connected With The Royal Households, The Ministry And Public Officers, Houses Of Parliament, Universities And Colleges, The Church, The Army And Navy, Law And Justice, A Copious Postal Guide, And Numerous Useful Tables, Etc.; Acts Of Parliament Passed In The Last Session With Abstracts Of The More Important Ones,State Pensions; Copious Information Connected With Government, Education, Administration Of Justice In The British Colonies And Foreign Countries, Etc. [Fore-Edge Painting] -

London: The Stationers' Company 1892 / 1893, 1893. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Near Fine. Fore-Edge Painting Of Clipper Ship Macquarrie. Vii, 8-384 Pp. Royal Binding Of Full Red Crushed Morocco, Five Bands, Large "V R" And Crown In Gilt At Center Of Both Covers (Insignia Of Queen Victoria), Six Gilt Rules At Edges With Floral Design Between Third And Fourth Set Of Rules, Spine Lettered And Extensively Lettered In Gilt, 1/4" Gilt Turns With Intricate Design; All Gilt Using Same Stamps As Seen In Other Bindings Of The Late Victorian Period Also Made For The Royal Family By Harrison Of Pall Mall, This Example Without His Stamps But Essentially The Same Binding As Another Example With Harriaon's Stamp And Also With A Foredge Painting. This Example With A Foredge Painting Of The Clipper Ship "Macquarrie". "One Of The Great Ocean Sights In The Days Of Sail Was The Macquarie (Ex-Melbourne), An Iron Sailing Ship Of 1857 Tons, Nearly 270 Ft. Long And 40 Ft. Beam Which For 20 Years Sailed Between England And Australia. Launched At Blackwall Yard In London In 1875, She Was The Last Sailing Ship Built On The Thames. Her Name Was Changed To Macquarie In 1888 When She Changed Owners And Transferred From The Melbourne To The Sydney Run: An Average Outward Passage Lasted 82 Days And Her First Arrival In Port Jackson Was 94 Days Out From London. After Six Years As A Cadet Ship Under Captain Corner She Was Sold To The Norwegians In 1903, Renamed Fortuna And Ended Her Days As A Coal Hulk In Sydney Harbour Until Finally Sold For Breaking Up In 1953. She Is Still Widely Remembered From Her Great Days As The Macquarie Through Corner's Magnificent Photographs Of Her Under Sail." This Example Very Well Preserved, All Gilt Brilliant, Light Rubbing At Corners, Covers Immaculate, Original Yellow Endpapers Clean And Entirely Intact, Hinges Tight, No Names Or Marks, Bookplate Of Late 20Th Century Owner On Front Free Endpaper. An Interesting Book Of Some Probable Daily Use For A Member Of The Royal Family. [See Heritage Auctions, Lot 36065, Oct 17, 2013, For A Worn Copy Of The 1878 Debrett's In A Very Similar Binding With Mostly Same Gilt Stamping And Bookplate Of Prince Leopold, The Duke Of Albany, Son Of Queen Victoria, Also With A Fore-Edge Painting].