Anon — The Prize Book

London , Darton and Co. 1847. Leather. A compilation of plays, prose and poetry. With three full page plates. Privately published with the intention of being presented as a prize. Direct from the Regency library of Elizabeth Greenly, later Lady Elizabeth Coffin Greenly. Elizabeth Greenly, born at Titley Court, Herefordshire, was a noted and varied collector. She kept prolific diaries from 1784 until her death in 1839 which included her responses to current events and occasions in her daily life. Among the diaries many names and anecdotes of celebrities of the time appear, including Lord Byron, Marie Antoinette, Mary Wollstonecraft and Hannah More. She was known to comment on customs of foreign countries to which she and her friends had travelled, and had a keen interest in scientific discoveries and advancements including medicine and archaeology. The Greenly library contents show Elizabeth Greenly's numerous interests including: Welsh causes, Science, topography, travel, Bibliana and literature, particularly female poets. The library contains many first editions of contemporary works, and many are signed or contain her bookplate. The library contained over 1000 volumes which show the diversity and depth of her interests and give an insight into the life of this fascinating collector. In a full morocco prize binding with both gilt and blind stamping. Externally, generally smart. Damage to head of spine. Light rubbing to spine also. Prize inscription to recto of front endpaper, presented to E H Allen. Internally, generally firmly bound though strained in places. Pages are bright, the odd spot throughout. Good . Ill.: None. Good .