THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER [with] THE WHOLE BOOK OF PSALMS

Federalist-Era Young Woman's Ownership Binding

THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER [with] THE WHOLE BOOK OF PSALMS

1791

Second printing of the revised post-independence American edition of the key Anglican text — in an exceptional morocco binding with a woman's ownership label incorporated onto the front board.

Very good.

Price: $1,500.00

THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER [with] THE WHOLE BOOK OF PSALMS

"My dear sainted mother's / prayer book..."

This edition of THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, first issued in 1786, was devised after England broke from the Catholic church to be used in Anglican services. After the United States became independent, Anglicans were faced with the difficulty of how to conduct themselves as members of the Church of England, leading to the formal foundation of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

The owner of this book, Elizabeth Loockerman (1779-1842), was only 12 years old when this book was published, and probably acquired it around this period: an additional pencil inscription by her son William describes it as her "prayer book when she was a young lady miss[?] to 1798." In 1798 at the age of 19, Loockerman married Thomas Bradford (1781-1851) in Philadelphia, where they remained and had five children. Thomas was a descendant of the printer William Bradford (1663-1752), a prominent lawyer and the commissioner of the Eastern Penitentiary ("for forty years the prisoner's friend," his epitaph states). While women's ownership inscriptions in 18th-century books are not uncommon, a lavish version such as this — in a full morocco binding, already unusual — is a wonderful survival.

Read more: Evans, American Bibliography, 19940 [1786 1st].

The Object

Philadelphia: Printed by Hall and Sellers, 1791. 6'' x 3.5''. Contemporary full red morocco, black morocco ownership label of Eliza Loockerman to front board, gilt-ruled boards, gilt-tooled spine, raised bands. Marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Hymns at rear. Subtle reinforcements to extremities of binding. Leaves toned. M6 with 2.25'' loss; N3 with.5'' loss; a few other leaves with closed tears. A few small ink trials and a pencil inscription initialed by William Bradford (Eliza's son) to verso of front free endpaper.

The Fine Print

We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.

We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.

All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.

All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.

International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.

We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.

If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.

Add to Cart Ask a Question Add to Wish List

More by Elizabeth Loockerman