[CAXTON, William (c.1422-c.1491), translator. GOSSUIN OF METZ, Walter (fl.1245), attributed. The myrrour: [and] dyscrypcyon of the worlde with many meruaylles. London: Laurence Andrewe, c.1527.]

Excessively rare early edition of Caxton's Mirror of the World, which was the first illustrated book printed in England. The Myrrour of the Worlde is a medieval compendium of geography, astronomy, and other physical sciences. Andrewe's edition is a reprint of the prose translation by William Caxton. When Caxton first published it in 1481 it was the first illustrated book to be printed in England (and in English) and the first scientific book to be printed in England. Caxton published a second edition in 1491 and the third edition was that of Laurence Andrewe, who printed two nearly identical editions, both circa 1527. The present belongs to the edition with "dwellyngein" in the colophon rather than "dwellynge in." ESTC records fewer copies of the Andrewe editions in institutional holdings than even the Caxton editions, which are notorious rarities. ESTC S126804.

Folio (276 x 175mm). Lacking 14 leaves (being the first 12 leaves including title and prologue plus the conjugate leaves h1/h4). Illustrated with copious woodcuts, including repetitions (scattered staining, last four leaves heavily worn with small losses on y1-3 and y4 defective with loss of about a third of the leaf including most of colophon; marginal burn-hole on q4, accretion with small hole on u1, the leaves at beginning and end tattered). 16th-century vellum remboitage, later endpapers (soiled, worn); calf clamshell box. Provenance: scattered marginalia from 16th to 19th or 20th century readers and a few early pen trials – G. Barrow (ownership inscription, several leaves of manuscript bibliographical notes, and supplying of a couple of leaves of pen facsimile).