Victorian Book of Common Prayer c1880 Black Calf Yapp Binding All Edges Gilt
 
Bibliographical Details
Title: The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the Use of the Church of England: Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, Pointed as They Are to Be Sung or Said in Churches: And the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.
Author: Church of England.
Illustrations: None.
Publisher: Eyre & Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty.
Place of Publication: London and Edinburgh.
Printer: George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode.
Date: Circa 1880.
Edition: Undated Victorian Nonpareil 32mo edition.
Special Features: Original full black calf Yapp binding, Nonpareil 32mo format, all edges gilt, four raised bands, gilt and blind tooling, blue silk ribbon marker.
 
Historical & Bibliographical Context
Produced in the compact Nonpareil 32mo format, this elegant Prayer Book was intended to be carried conveniently in a pocket or handbag for daily worship, making it both practical and beautifully crafted.
This attractive Victorian Book of Common Prayer was printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, the official Printers to Queen Victoria, and represents a fine example of the elegant devotional books produced during the late nineteenth century. Although undated, the evidence strongly suggests a publication date of approximately 1880.
The printer's imprint includes warehouse addresses in London, Edinburgh and New York that belong to the firm's later Victorian period, whilst the calendar tables extending to 1899 and the inclusion of Queen Victoria's Royal Warrant of 1859 are entirely consistent with editions issued during the 1870s and 1880s. Cataloguing the volume as circa 1880 is therefore both bibliographically sound and professionally defensible.
First published in 1549 under Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the Book of Common Prayer became one of the most influential works in the English language. Its services shaped Anglican worship for centuries and profoundly influenced English literature, public life and religious practice. Pocket editions such as this were designed for personal devotion and regular church attendance, making surviving examples tangible reminders of Victorian religious life.
Collectors value these compact Prayer Books not only for their historical importance but also for their craftsmanship. Finely bound examples with original gilt edges and Yapp bindings are particularly sought after because they combine practical use with high-quality Victorian bookbinding.
 
About the Author
The Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, principally compiled by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, has served as the foundation of Anglican worship since the sixteenth century. Revered for its enduring liturgy and elegant prose, it remains one of the most significant works in the history of the English language.
 
Binding & Exterior
Bound in the original full black calf with protective Yapp edges extending beyond the text block, preserving the all edges gilt finish.
The spine is divided into compartments by four raised bands and decorated with attractive gilt and blind tooling, together with a gilt-lettered spine title reading "Common Prayer". The boards are similarly decorated with blind-stamped panels, producing a restrained yet elegant Victorian design.
The binding remains notably well preserved. There is only light age-related wear, including occasional rubbing to the leather, a few small marks and very minor rubbing to the extremities. The Yapp edges remain particularly attractive and continue to provide excellent protection to the gilt page edges.
Interior Condition
The book retains its original light brown endpapers. There is light foxing to the title page and endpapers, together with gentle age toning consistent with a Victorian devotional volume.
The remaining pages are remarkably clean for their age, displaying only occasional very small marks that do not affect the text. The leaves are predominantly uncreased, with no tears, apart from a tiny pinprick-sized hole to the lower margin of one leaf, well away from the printed text.
No ownership inscriptions, bookplates or annotations are present, leaving a particularly well-preserved and uncluttered interior. The original blue silk ribbon marker remains in place.
The text block is firmly bound throughout with no loose pages. Although unpaginated, the contents have been carefully checked and appear complete.
 
Physical Details
Format: Nonpareil 32mo.
Pagination: Unpaginated, complete.
Dimensions: Approximately 13 × 8.4 × 1.3 cm.
Weight: Approximately 116 g.
 
Provenance
No identifiable provenance is present. The absence of ownership inscriptions or bookplates leaves the volume in a particularly clean state, allowing the quality of the original Victorian binding to take centre stage.
 
Rarity Assessment
Scarce
Victorian editions of the Book of Common Prayer survive in reasonable numbers, but attractive examples in their original full black calf Yapp bindings with all edges gilt, raised bands and exceptionally clean interiors are becoming increasingly difficult to source.
This example is especially desirable because it combines an elegant original binding, complete text, excellent structural condition and a remarkably well-preserved interior. Its compact Nonpareil 32mo format further enhances its appeal to collectors of Victorian devotional books, fine bindings and Oxford and Queen's Printer publications.