Heading:
Author: Blake, William
Title: The Ladies Charity School-house Roll of Highgate: or, a Subscription of Many Noble, Well-Dispossed Ladies for the Ease of Carrying it on
Place Published: London
Publisher:
Date Published: 1670
Description:

[4], 292, [1] pp. (8vo) 15.5x10 cm (6¼x3¾"), contemporary red morocco with elaborate gilt decorated patterns of floral ornaments, handles, knobs and shells on the covers, and five compartments on the spine with a repeating pattern of smaller handles and knobs around spider-like figures, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Four engraved plates. First Edition.

A famous example of a publication for charity. Several of these were bound for presentation in an elaborate fashion similar to this one, but those had individual presentation gilt stamps on the covers (See Mirjam Foot, "The Charity School Binder," The Book Collector, Spring, 1983). William Blake was the founder and keeper of the Ladies Charity School, a boarding house school for homeless or destitute children which was entirely dependent on charitable contributions. Here Blake thanks his patrons and appeals to other ladies for charity. The second part of the text, Silver Drops, or Serious Things, is a treatise by Blake on charity. Ink signature of Thomas Stedman, dated Oxford, 1763, on the front blank.

Edges rubbed; two silk ties lacking (two present); lacking the front free endpaper. Small bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey on front pastedown. Very nice copy.