MORTLOCK, D.P.

Holkham Library: A History and Description

Otley, Yorkshire: Smith Settle. Privately printed for members of the Roxburghe Club, 2006. Folio. (13 5/8 x 9 5/8 inches). xv, 140 pp. With 56 coloured illustrations (many of which are full-page).

Publisher's quarter green morocco over green cloth, spine and front board gilt. Bookplate of Jane Wrightsman.

No. 64 of 100 morocco-bound copies presented to members of the Roxburghe Club by the Earl of Leicester. This work offers an in-depth exploration of one of the world's most distinguished private libraries, housed at Holkham Hall in Norfolk. The collection was initiated by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (16971759), during his Grand Tour through France and Italy, which significantly influenced its focus on Renaissance Italy. Over the centuries, the Coke family has continued to enrich and preserve the library, ensuring its legacy as a treasure trove of historical and literary significance. While the core of the collection centers on Italian Renaissance works, it also encompasses a diverse range of materials. Highlights include Sir Edward Cokes 14th-century English manuscripts, a rare trove of Civil War and Commonwealth pamphlets, early Virginia Company broadsides, and other unique holdings. These elements underscore the breadth of interests represented within the library, showcasing its cultural and historical value.

Item #42014

Price: $425.00