An Impressive Collection of 179 Separate Publications Bound into 112 Volumes, 1736-1867.

Almanacks, Kalendars, Registers and Directories, issued annually and mainly published in London, together with others published in Scotland and Ireland, 179 in total; 100 were published before 1801. Generally sound in contemp. sheep with some wear, but some simply rebound or rebacked. For such ephemeral reference works, the overall condition is good, though a few are poor. Rider's British Merlin is bound into many of the volumes. 'Cardanus Rider' was pseudonym of Richard Saunders, 1613- 1675?, who issued his first almanack in 1656; this annual publication includes a calendar, notes on weather, astronomy, astrology with a list of fairs. The earliest here is 1736 and the latest 1836. There are many issues of the Court Kalendar, the Court and City Register and the Royal Kalendar providing information on the Great & Good, MPs, Lords and Ladies. From 1776 there are Scottish Almanacks: The Edinburgh, The Town & Country & Universal Scots Almanacks, as well as The General Almanack of Scotland & British Register. The final volume in the collection includes Oliver & Boyd's New Edinburgh Almanac. The earliest Dublin publications are from 1798; the Treble Almanack incorporating John Watson Stewart's Almanack, Exshaw's English Court Register and Wilson's Dublin Directory (with map of Dublin). An 1841 volume includes Watson's, or The Gentleman's and Citizen's Almanack together with the Dublin Post Office Directory. More unusual 'calendars' include The British Imperial Calendar, 1811, 1813, 1816, 1818, The Bengal Calendar 1789, Boyle's Court and Country Guide (a street directory) of 1815 & the Literary and Scientific Register, 1854. The British Almanac of 1837 is from Leeds Castle, interleaved, with extensive manuscript notes. A number of volumes have Baggrave Library labels and others are from the Faculty of Procurators, Glasgow. It is noticeable that Rider's British Merlin was the almanack of choice to be incorporated with the more substantial Registers and Kalendars. Towards the end of the 18thC, the Royal Kalendar advertises itself at 2s. 6d and with an almanack, 3s. 6d. By 1810, the prices have risen to 4s 6d & 6s. 0d. This is a collection put together over a long period of time, from different sources, providing a full picture of the development of these essential reference works over a 130-year period. Please ask for a full listing.…