The Fitzwilliam Book of Hours

The Fitzwilliam Book of Hours. London: The Folio Society, 2009. Limited edition, hand-numbered 188 out of 1180.

Two-volume clamshell box bound in dark blue cloth with spine titled (as above) in gold. The two volumes are as follows:

[1] [Facsimile]. 201 × 141 × 35 mm. Pp. [1–376]. Photographed by Andrew Morris. Printed by Beacon Press. Bound by Smith Settle in full silk brocade woven in blue and gold by Stephen Walters and Sons. Gilded edges. Dark grey-blue endleaves. One of Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum’s later book of hours, dating from around 1510, is reproduced here (MS 1058-1975). The final leaf reads in part ‘The edition is limited to 1180 numbered copies for sale to members of The Folio Society, and 20 lettered copies which are not for sale’.

[2] The Fitzwilliam Book of Hours, MS 1058-1975, commentary by Stella Panayotova. 202 × 138 × 18 mm. Pp. [1–5] 6–144: [1] colour plate (facing p. 112). Type: Dante. Printed by Martins of Berwick. Bound by Hunter and Foulis in quarter dark blue buckram. Dark grey-blue paper boards with printed paper label inset on front board. Printed endleaves reproduce images, contemporary to the manuscript, of two female saints from the Fitzwilliam Museum’s collection of Flemish oil paintings.

The facsimile has a few shallow, hairline scratches to the gilded edges; else a fine, uninscribed copy with pages tightly bound. The commentary has light wear to spine and a couple of light marks; else fine. The clamshell case is unfortunately bumped to most corners and rather grubby overall (potentially cleanable, but we cannot say for sure). Our price does reflect the condition of this edition.