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Swan marks
Title
Swan marks, [16th century].
Physical Description
2 v. : ill. ; 25.5 x 20 cm
Medium
vellum pen and ink.
Language
English
Notes
Title from preliminary leaf, larger volume, on paper bound in preceding marks on vellum leaves.
Title on preliminary leaf in smaller volume: The swane booke.
Both volumes with the armorial bookplate of Earl of Derby, 1775-1851 and press mark 25. B.
Text from the 1842 Catalogue of the classic contents of Strawberry Hill collected by Horace Walpole: Two books of Swanmark's, 8vo, bound in vellum, and extremely rare.
In English and Latin.
Exhibited: "Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill," at The Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, CT, October 2009 - January 2010.
Exhibited: "Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill," at The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom, March - June 2010.
Provenance
Owned by Horace Walpole by 1774. S1842, Strawberry Hill Sale, day 6, lot 8, bt Boone [for Lord Derby], £8.8.0; 1953 October 19, Christie's, Knowsley Hall Sale, lots 98-99 (2 vols), bt Maggs for W. S. Lewis; The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University.
Access and use
This material is available for research.
Summary
Two volumes, in two different hands, with drawings in ink (some colored) on vellum of swan marks granted by the King of England to persons who have lands valued at least 500 marks and who wish to keep swans, otherwise designated a royal bird and the property of the crown. The catalog of marks assigned to each family, in rough alphabetic order is preceded by a summary of various laws related to the keeping of swans and their designation as royal game. From Horace Walpole's 1774 edition of Description of the villa of Mr. Horace Walpole at Strawberry-Hill near Twickenham, Middlesex: Curious books in the glass closet in the library ... Two books of swan-marks, on vellum: extremely rare.
Publications
Munby, A.N.L. Book collector, v. 1, p. 128.
Hobson, A.R. A. Bindings with the device of a pelican in its piety (Note 291). Book collector, v. 16, no. 4 p. 509-510.
Variant and related titles
Book of swan marks
Format
Archives or Manuscripts
Added to Catalog
May 13, 2009
References
Hazen, A.T. Catalogue of Horace Walpole's library, no. 2601
Swan marks. The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University.
Cite as
Swan marks. The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University.
Subjects
Subjects (Local Yale)
Genre/Form
Insignias (devices)
Ink drawings.
Manuscript waste (Binding)
Armorial bookplates (Provenance)
Watermarks (Paper)
Bookmark As
Citation
