A Chronicle of England: B.C. 55 – A.D. 1485

 Pp. (5), vi-viii, (1), 2-462, (2); 80 color-printed illustrations by James Doyle (brother of Richard Doyle and uncle to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle); his designs were engraved and printed in color by Edmund Evans.  Publisher’s original highly-gilt-decorated and blind-stamped brown cloth, beveled edges, all page edges in gilt, brick red endpapers, lg 4to (11 x 8.25 inches).  This first edition was limited 500 copies printed.  This volume was a major achievement at the time, being one of the first books to have color illustrations printed on the same pages as typeset text pages. Even more impressive are the extraordinarily bright, vivid color illustrations printed from woodblocks engravings in as many as ten colors per illustration.  The book details the events from the landing of the Roman legions in England to the Battle of Bosworth Field near the end of the Wars of the Roses. This volume is an important achievement in the advancement of illustrated books.  See also Hardie 269; Houfe 121; McLean 184; Muir 157-158; Ray 241 and Slythe 28.