Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice older book in good condition. Pages in good condition. Some very light tanning and marking due to age. No notes or highlighting. See images. Fantastic book.

About the book >.>.> This introduction to the subject of merchant marks should be regarded as a preliminary field survey. Most of the marks here discussed have been inspected and photographed in situ. When such photography was impracticable drawings or ‘rub- bings’ were made. Usually a line drawing is sufficient for recording a mark although sometimes a photograph can be more revealing. For example the line illustrations I had seen of the mark of John Lane at Cullompton Devon before visit- ing the place gave no indication that the oval member upon which the ‘four’ stands is a teasel-holder. The photograph of the marks leaves no doubt that teasel-holders are in fact represented. In the late and post mediaeval period during which most of these marks were made spelling was not standardized. An individual may be referred to as ‘A Wall’ or ‘Walle’. The name ‘Greneway’ might be spelled in a number of ways. There- fore where names are concerned no attempt has been made to im- pose a standardized spelling. Before his untimely death the late E. M. Elmhirst F.R.C.S. col- lected from printed books and manuscripts a large number of marks. These he formed into a compilation which is comparable to an heraldic ordinary of arms and which has been published by the Harleian Society. Our respective collections may be regarded in some measure as complementary to each other. (LL)