The Maps and Text of the Boke of Idrography Presented by Jean Rotz to Henry VIII. ROXBURGHE CLUB
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1wcarter
The Maps and Text of the Boke of Idrography Presented by Jean Rotz to Henry VIII. ROXBURGHE CLUB
The Roxburghe Club was founded in 1812 and is the oldest and most exclusive society of bibliophiles in the world. Its membership is limited to 40, chosen from among those with distinguished libraries or collections, or with a scholarly interest in books. Many of the members are the owners of the libraries you drool over when seen in photos.
Each member is expected, upon election to the club, to produce a book at his or her own expense for presentation to the other members. The subject of such books lies entirely at the discretion of the individual member, providing that it lies within the normal scope of the Club’s publications. These books are usually lavishly bound and superbly printed facsimiles of a book in the member’s collection, or borrowed from a library or institution, or new editions of a classic work. Each presentation copy has the name of the member to whom it is presented in red on the list of members that usually appears at the beginning of each book. Since its foundation, almost 300 volumes have been published on a wide range of subjects and scholarship. The club itself from time to time, has also published books for presentation to the members.
Only 42 copies of each of these books was ever printed (40 for members, one for the club archive and one extra for the commissioning member). After 159 years of tradition, in 1981, it was decided to print extra copies of the books for sale to members of the public. The Rotz Atlas was the first of these books, and 200 extra copies were produced in a binding that was less lavish than the member’s copies, but with identical contents.
Because this was the first such book, the binding is still magnificent in half morocco with light brown cloth covers gilt embossed with the crest of Henry VIII. Most of the subsequent books released to the public were less lavish in their binding being in full cloth or quarter leather.
The Maps and Text of the Boke of Idrography Presented by Jean Rotz to Henry VIII (British Library Royal MS20 E.ix) was published for presentation to the members of the Roxburghe Club by Viscount Eccles, who also wrote a foreword. 200 copies were offered for general sale outside the club's very exclusive membership. These copies are not individually numbered.
Also known as The Rotz Atlas, the book was originally presented to Henry VIII around 1542, and it shows the approximate placing of part of Australia more than 70 years before any known European had seen any part of its coast. Torres in 1606 was the first European to see any part of Australia, and that was the tip of Cape York (modern Queensland). The presence of the rough outline of Australia, and what could be considered New Zealand attached to the Australian East coast, is an enigma.
The Roxburghe Club edition reproduces Jean Rotz' manuscript in facsimile with 32 magnificent map plates, but also includes 96 pages of introductory essays by Helen Wallis, Janet Backhouse, W. Stanford Reid, Roger Desreumaux, P. E. H. Hair , D. B. Quinn and W. C. Sturtevant which detail the history and background of the original atlas and its author. The text and maps are printed on the same very heavy pale cream paper. The text point size (16 point by my estimation) is over large to match the book format.
At 63 x 40 cm. the book is absolutely huge (1cm. taller than The Queen Mary Atlas produced by the Folio Society). The top page edges are gilt, and the facsimile maps are extraordinarily vivid in bright colours. Confusingly for modern readers, most of the maps are oriented with South at the top of the map.
In the pictures below, when only one page appears, the page opposite is blank.
With 30cm/12in. ruler to show scale
The map showing “Australia” 70 years before it was “discovered”.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the this series can be viewed here.
The Roxburghe Club was founded in 1812 and is the oldest and most exclusive society of bibliophiles in the world. Its membership is limited to 40, chosen from among those with distinguished libraries or collections, or with a scholarly interest in books. Many of the members are the owners of the libraries you drool over when seen in photos.
Each member is expected, upon election to the club, to produce a book at his or her own expense for presentation to the other members. The subject of such books lies entirely at the discretion of the individual member, providing that it lies within the normal scope of the Club’s publications. These books are usually lavishly bound and superbly printed facsimiles of a book in the member’s collection, or borrowed from a library or institution, or new editions of a classic work. Each presentation copy has the name of the member to whom it is presented in red on the list of members that usually appears at the beginning of each book. Since its foundation, almost 300 volumes have been published on a wide range of subjects and scholarship. The club itself from time to time, has also published books for presentation to the members.
Only 42 copies of each of these books was ever printed (40 for members, one for the club archive and one extra for the commissioning member). After 159 years of tradition, in 1981, it was decided to print extra copies of the books for sale to members of the public. The Rotz Atlas was the first of these books, and 200 extra copies were produced in a binding that was less lavish than the member’s copies, but with identical contents.
Because this was the first such book, the binding is still magnificent in half morocco with light brown cloth covers gilt embossed with the crest of Henry VIII. Most of the subsequent books released to the public were less lavish in their binding being in full cloth or quarter leather.
The Maps and Text of the Boke of Idrography Presented by Jean Rotz to Henry VIII (British Library Royal MS20 E.ix) was published for presentation to the members of the Roxburghe Club by Viscount Eccles, who also wrote a foreword. 200 copies were offered for general sale outside the club's very exclusive membership. These copies are not individually numbered.
Also known as The Rotz Atlas, the book was originally presented to Henry VIII around 1542, and it shows the approximate placing of part of Australia more than 70 years before any known European had seen any part of its coast. Torres in 1606 was the first European to see any part of Australia, and that was the tip of Cape York (modern Queensland). The presence of the rough outline of Australia, and what could be considered New Zealand attached to the Australian East coast, is an enigma.
The Roxburghe Club edition reproduces Jean Rotz' manuscript in facsimile with 32 magnificent map plates, but also includes 96 pages of introductory essays by Helen Wallis, Janet Backhouse, W. Stanford Reid, Roger Desreumaux, P. E. H. Hair , D. B. Quinn and W. C. Sturtevant which detail the history and background of the original atlas and its author. The text and maps are printed on the same very heavy pale cream paper. The text point size (16 point by my estimation) is over large to match the book format.
At 63 x 40 cm. the book is absolutely huge (1cm. taller than The Queen Mary Atlas produced by the Folio Society). The top page edges are gilt, and the facsimile maps are extraordinarily vivid in bright colours. Confusingly for modern readers, most of the maps are oriented with South at the top of the map.
In the pictures below, when only one page appears, the page opposite is blank.
With 30cm/12in. ruler to show scale
The map showing “Australia” 70 years before it was “discovered”.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the this series can be viewed here.
2dlphcoracl
>1 wcarter:
The Roxburghe Club books are quite special. It is a chance for the ordinary book collector to acquire an ultra-rare work of incunabula or historical significance at a relatively modest cost. The printing and production of each book are a source of pride to each member of the Roxburghe Club when his or her turn to issue an edition arrives and they are often accompanied by original essays reflecting considerable scholarship. In particular, great care is taken in accurately reproducing the original illustrations, as can be seen above.
This book is a behemoth (I do not own it) but it is one of the most notable Roxburghe Club editions of the twentieth century. I had always wondered what it looked like and certainly appreciate >1 wcarter: taking the time to present and photograph this book in his typically stellar and complete fashion. It is clearly a jewel. Other notable Roxburghe Club editions include:
1. A Book of Old Testament Illustrations of the Middle of the XIIth Century (1927).
2. The Sobieski Hours (1977).
3. The Great Book of Thomas Trevilian (2 volumes). (2000)
4. The Windsor Shahnama of 1646. (2007).
The Roxburghe Club books are quite special. It is a chance for the ordinary book collector to acquire an ultra-rare work of incunabula or historical significance at a relatively modest cost. The printing and production of each book are a source of pride to each member of the Roxburghe Club when his or her turn to issue an edition arrives and they are often accompanied by original essays reflecting considerable scholarship. In particular, great care is taken in accurately reproducing the original illustrations, as can be seen above.
This book is a behemoth (I do not own it) but it is one of the most notable Roxburghe Club editions of the twentieth century. I had always wondered what it looked like and certainly appreciate >1 wcarter: taking the time to present and photograph this book in his typically stellar and complete fashion. It is clearly a jewel. Other notable Roxburghe Club editions include:
1. A Book of Old Testament Illustrations of the Middle of the XIIth Century (1927).
2. The Sobieski Hours (1977).
3. The Great Book of Thomas Trevilian (2 volumes). (2000)
4. The Windsor Shahnama of 1646. (2007).
3Glacierman
>1 wcarter: Wow. Who was the printer?
5Hellbent2
>1 wcarter:
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such an interesting and informative post about this marvellous book. It's content like this makes me love books and collecting even more. And I did not even know about the existence of the Roxburghe Club to begin with. One can't help to wonder how to go about reading such a beast of a volume :)
I browsed through their publications and found the "Speculum Peccatorum : 'The Mirror of Sinners'" interesting. Have not been able to find any images of it though.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such an interesting and informative post about this marvellous book. It's content like this makes me love books and collecting even more. And I did not even know about the existence of the Roxburghe Club to begin with. One can't help to wonder how to go about reading such a beast of a volume :)
I browsed through their publications and found the "Speculum Peccatorum : 'The Mirror of Sinners'" interesting. Have not been able to find any images of it though.
6dlphcoracl
>5 Hellbent2:
The Roxburghe Club 'Speculum Peccatorum" is a tiny, inconsequential book, almost an afterthought. It is certainly not comparable to the other Roxburghe Club publications. Fortunately, it is very inexpensive and typically sells for $50-$60 on Abebooks.com.
The Roxburghe Club 'Speculum Peccatorum" is a tiny, inconsequential book, almost an afterthought. It is certainly not comparable to the other Roxburghe Club publications. Fortunately, it is very inexpensive and typically sells for $50-$60 on Abebooks.com.
7Hellbent2
>6 dlphcoracl:
Thank you. By inconsequential, do you mean lacking in illustrations and good typography and paper, or are you referring to it's importance as an historic document?
Thank you. By inconsequential, do you mean lacking in illustrations and good typography and paper, or are you referring to it's importance as an historic document?
8dpbbooks
"Designed and printed by Sebastian Carter at the Rampant Lions Press. The facsimile printed by The Cloister Press. Bound by The Fine Bindery."
"Printed for presentation to the members of The Roxburghe Club, Cambridge, first edition, 1992. Cloth, small 8vo, 19 cm,. 64 pp, 18 facsimile plates. From the introduction: "The anonymous Latin prose text of the Speculum Peccatorum, printed in London, at the Sign of the Sun in Fleet Street, by Wynkyn De Worde, exists in an unique copy in the library of Lord Sackville at Knole. The De Worde printing is the only edition in any language produced in England before. It has not previously been published and is reproduced here in facsimile, with an accompanying modern English prose translation." Contents: Preface; Introduction; Physical Description; Binding and Provenance; Illustration and Decoration; Type and Compositorial Practice; Dating; Authorship and Text; The Place of The Speculum Peccatorum in de Worde's Oeuvre; Appendix: Products of de Worde's Press 1508-1510; List of Works Cited; The Translation. Designed and printed by Sebastian Carter at the Rampant Lions Press."
"Printed for presentation to the members of The Roxburghe Club, Cambridge, first edition, 1992. Cloth, small 8vo, 19 cm,. 64 pp, 18 facsimile plates. From the introduction: "The anonymous Latin prose text of the Speculum Peccatorum, printed in London, at the Sign of the Sun in Fleet Street, by Wynkyn De Worde, exists in an unique copy in the library of Lord Sackville at Knole. The De Worde printing is the only edition in any language produced in England before. It has not previously been published and is reproduced here in facsimile, with an accompanying modern English prose translation." Contents: Preface; Introduction; Physical Description; Binding and Provenance; Illustration and Decoration; Type and Compositorial Practice; Dating; Authorship and Text; The Place of The Speculum Peccatorum in de Worde's Oeuvre; Appendix: Products of de Worde's Press 1508-1510; List of Works Cited; The Translation. Designed and printed by Sebastian Carter at the Rampant Lions Press."
9Hellbent2
>8 dpbbooks:
Thank you. I found the book on Abebooks and have asked the seller to supply me with a few images.
Thank you. I found the book on Abebooks and have asked the seller to supply me with a few images.
10Glacierman
>4 wcarter: Thank you.
11dlphcoracl
>7 Hellbent2:
Inconsequential as a book representative of the typical work done by the Rampant Lions Press and not representative of the typical Roxburghe Club editions. It is an historically significant work, however.
Inconsequential as a book representative of the typical work done by the Rampant Lions Press and not representative of the typical Roxburghe Club editions. It is an historically significant work, however.
13ultrarightist
>11 dlphcoracl: Is it below the usual high standards of the work of Rampant Lions Press?
14dlphcoracl
>13 ultrarightist:
Frankly, if it did not state that it was designed and printed by the RLP in the colophon I would not have known it from handling the book. That said, it is so inexpensive and it IS an interesting read - one cannot go wrong purchasing a copy.
Frankly, if it did not state that it was designed and printed by the RLP in the colophon I would not have known it from handling the book. That said, it is so inexpensive and it IS an interesting read - one cannot go wrong purchasing a copy.
15Glacierman
FYI, there is also the Roxburghe Club of San Francisco founded in 1928 and named in honor of the British club. It operates along similar lines. As one might expect, the Grabhorn Press (among others) did work for the club and its members.
