Almanacks and Calendars: Five Rare Books for Collectors

Highlights from Bernard Quaritch's new catalogue Almanacks include:

Rider’s British Merlin for 1660

First edition, very rare, of one of the earliest issues of Rider’s British Merlin for 1660 (London, R. &. W. Leybourn, 1660), with its characteristic advice on husbandry and health, and predictions of the weather. ‘Cardanus Rider’ (here ‘Schardanus Riders’) is the anagrammatic pseudonym of the astrologer Richard Saunders (1613–1675). His British Merlin appeared annually from 1654. S eparate vellum pocket bound in at rear.

Ephemeris Absoluta

An annotated almanack from the reign of William and Mary London (J.D. for the Company of Stationers, 1693) with numerous contemporary annotations comprising accounts due 1690–1692. Daniel Woodward issued almanacks under the titles Vox Uraniae (1682–1688), and, after the Glorious Revolution, Ephemeris Absoluta (1689–1698). A six-line verse prognostication appears at the head of each month, and the additional content includes ‘Astronomical Observations’ as well as advertisements for Woodward’s cordial pills, family pills, elixir salutis, worming ointment, and pills ‘for the cure of Claps, French Pox’ etc.

Marshall’s Ladies Elegant Pocket Souvenir for 1830

A very rare and charming ladies’ almanack (London, [W.J. Ruffy for] W[illiam] Marshall, 1830) including plates illustrating the latest fashion and information on new music, songs, and dances. Included are new dances (amongst them ‘the Rudolph’, the ‘Hey Jenny come down to Jock’, the ‘Widow Mahoney’, the ‘Good Night, and Joy be with you All’, and the particularly complicated ‘Syra’), new songs, charades and enigmas (with answers to the previous year’s puzzles), and sheet music for The Favorite and The Ball Ticket.