Moore's Irish Melodies - a proof copy

 

@26102025 Note: All images are © British Library Board 

Moore's Irish Melodies: a proof copy

Edmund M B King

   C188b182 upper cover                        C188b182 lower cover

Thomas Moore's Irish Melodies was a popular work, with many editions printed in the nineteenth century. This book was formerly in the Robin de Beaumont collection. The British Library purchased it in 2024, at the Bonhams online sale of 31 January. Its condtion is really good. It has been housed in a solander box, with the result that the covers, the spine, and the interior are in fine condition. 

This edition was published by Longman in 1845; this is a proof copy, with a printed paper design over boards and spine. 

Full details and more images are available at:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Formerly_Robin_de_Beaumont_Collection&filefrom=C188b175+11.jpg#mw-category-media 

The steel engraved plates executed by Charles George Lewis. The illustrations drawn by Daniel Maclise. Each page has a decorative pictorial border. Each illustration is signed: “D. Maclise R. A.” and “F. P. Becker” [i.e. Francis Paul Becker] and “Proof”. The heraldic bookplate of de Beaumont is on the upper pastedown. He has noted on the upper endpaper recto: ‘Christies 5 (Kensington?) 23.1.1981 £170 against Sam Fogg’. [This was a substantial sum. the high price is an indicator of rarity.] 

Cream/ light yellow paper over boards, with design printed onto the paper. Binder’s ticket on lower pastedown: “/Bound by/ Westleys/ & Co./ London/” [Ball no. 103C. p. 191] Yellow endpapers and pastedowns. Shamrock patterns are printed across the whole cover, surrounding the central roundel. There are interlocking straps at the head of each cover. On the lower cover, the central roundel has interlocking straps on its perimeter. Within the roundel is the monogram L B C [Longman Brown & Co?] On the upper cover, the perimeter of the central roundel has the words: “Moore’s Irish Melodies” printed in ‘shamrock-like’ letters. On the centre is a seated lady holding an Irish harp. 

The spine has shamrock patterns from head to tail. At the head is the word “Proofs”. Near the head, within a green lettering-piece, the title words: “/Moore’s/ Irish/ Melodies/” are printed in ‘cream’ colour. At the tail, within a green lettering-piece, the imprint is: “/ Longman/ and Co./”

 In the Morning Herald, 3 October 1845, page 20, col. 2, an advertisement by Longman reads: “At the end of October will be published, Moore’s Irish Melodies. Illustrated by D Maclise, R. A. In one volume imp. 8vo., with 160 designs engraved on steel, £3. 3s. (three guineas); or, proof impressions 6l. 6s. (six guineas). ***The above may be had, bound in morocco by Hayday, price 4l. 14s. 6d.” 

Most likely this is the proof impressions copy. (Possibly intended as a specimen book?) 

Tipped in at the end are twenty-two other bookseller entries for this work. It seems likely that de Beaumont wished to know if any other bookseller was selling a similar cpoy. There are also two letters tipped in, one from Ruari Maclean, 17.9.1981; and one from Percy Muir, 1 August 1963. Until another copy comes to light, this is a rare copy, expesively produced, with a price of six guineas, and rarer still in such a fine condition.