Collectible - Acceptable

Philadelphia: John B. Perry, 1858. 4to hardcover decorated in the elaborate style typical of the latter half of the 19th century: full red leather with elaborate floral frame, corner decorations, and cherub in gilt to front and blind to rear; the frame on the front is filled with the title, and the names of the owners - Absalom E. and Emmeline Cox - and the rear with an image of the last supper, all in gilt. Gilt tulip design stamped to board edges. The spine is separated into six compartments by five slightly raised bands; each compartment is framed with gold and contains a delicate gilt device, with the title occupying the second compartment. AEG. Engravings intermittently throughout, some hand-tinted by the owners. Fair. Light edgewear and rubbing to boards; spine rubbed at tips and bands, creased, and with chip from top edge; the missing piece has been laid in. Headband and spine paper also chipped in the same place. Rear joint skinned and scrape to rear board. Front joint broken and spine leather hanging from rear. Front board detached, and succeeding pages through the table of contents loose; several of the loose pages have been connected with clear tape. Early pencil bequest inscription to front free endpaper. The interior is quite clean and bright, with only a few pages toned and the intact tissue guards foxed, and small dampstain through about 20 pages around the family record. Spine cracked at family record, with Births, Deaths, a plate, and the New Testament title page loose. The family record pages have been completed, and the decorative engravings tinted. This book includes a good deal of ephemera: five Cox obituaries and a prayer card have been pasted to front pastedown. The original birth certificate of Absalom Cox and Emmeline Compton, dated 1857, has been laid in to the family record section. A typed description of the bible (dated 1942), a piece of silver foil, a prayer card, a "Picture Lesson Paper" (dated May 25, 1884), two Pears' Soap bookmarks, one Crown Oaks bookmark, two cross stitch samplers, a piece of wide grossgrain ribbon, and a ribbon with paper cross attached laid in at rear. An invaluable artifact to anyone researching or connected to the Cox family. Inquire if you need further information.