Ancient and Ornamental Alphabets, Collected from the Best Sources

[c. 1850] Green cloth boards with gilt titles (boards mildly marked, faded, rubbed and rounded corners, cracked at spine ends). Internally a hint of toning and spotting (not affecting plates) and a previous owner's inscription on the front free endpaper, dated 1852, else neat and clean. Binding a little loose, a couple of gutters cracking. Four colour printed title page, in neo-gothic style. A collection of 31 monochrome plates, lithography by J Aresti, depicting ancient and medieval alphabets, initial letters and numerals. Sources include St Cuthbert's Gospel, the tomb of Gundreda, the Augburg Golden Bible, and various manuscripts held by the British Museum.