Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller - Old and Rare Books

The Orthodox Communicant, by Way of Meditation on the Order for the Administration of the Lord's-Supper, or Holy Communion; According to the Liturgy of the Church of England [FULLY ENGRAVED THROUGHOUT]

Sturt, John (engr.)

London: Engraven and sold by J. Sturt in Golden Lion Court in Aldersgate Street. MDCCXXI. 1721. First illustrated edition. Hardcover. Octavo. [2], IX, [1, blank], 82, [3, subscribers' list], [1, blank] pp. All leaves with engraved borders; engraved arms at dedication; engraved vignettes at title, preface, and introduction; engraved intials throughout. 82 engraved vignettes. Contemporary calf, ruled in gilt (rebacked, preserving most of the gilt-tooled spine). All edges gilt. Dampstained at gutters front and back (affecting mainly the first leaf of the dedication, the final text leaf, and the subscribers' list; occasionally and more faintly at the inner margins). A good copy.

First illustrated edition. John Sturt began his career as an engraver in 1674 apprenticed to Robert White, the most distinguished pupil of David Loggan. "Sturt was particularly celebrated for his skill as a writing engraver, and he engraved several of the works of the calligrapher John Ayres, most notably A Tutor to Penmanship, or, The Writing Master (1698), adding -- as he frequently did -- a frontispiece portrait of the author. He specialized in miniature work, and it was said that he could engrave the creed on a silver penny, a claim amply reinforced by his best-known works: engraved versions of the Book of Common Prayer and of Laurence Howell's The Orthodox Communicant, published respectively by subscription in 1717 and 1721" (ODNB). The text (without illustrations) was first published at London by John Nutt in 1712 and 1714. Each page comprises an engraved border enclosing engraved text, the text and borders being separately imposed. Copies may not always have the same border surrounding a particular page of text. Good. Item #54298

ESTC T119687. R. Sharp, "John Sturt" [in:] ODNB.

Price: $325.00