This Book of Common Prayer, bound in red goatskin and elaborately tooled in gold with the cypher of Charles II, may have been bound in the workshop of Samel Mearne. Several of the tools, including the floral roll, triangular corner tools and Charles' cypher, are used on other bindings associated with his workshop.


Binding information
Contemporary red goatskin binding; gold-tooling throughout. Both sides tooled with a ‘panel’ design of three borders: outermost and innermost panels formed of a floral roll border and single fillet border, with inner border surmounted by an additional single fillet border; single fillet border tooled on every side with a triangular motif built-up from several different vine and floral tools, including a pineapple. Each of the corners of the border decorated with a triangular floral tool, surmounted by the crowned cypher of Charles II (a crowned pair of addorsed Cs between pair of palm fronds); floral tool identical to that used on RCIN 1020268 (Add B 36.1). All four corners of the outer border also stamped with Charles II cypher surmounted by a crown. Inner boards on left and right sides gold-tooled on all sides with floral roll. Spine divided into eight sections by raised bands. Repair to the head of the spine in a lighter red goatskin. Each compartment tooled with a double fillet border and decorated in the centre with the monogram of Charles I and triangular, floral and circle tools. Evidence of ties on left and right boards. Edges gilt. Triangular corner tools identical to those used on RCIN 1020268 (Add B 36.1) and several books bound by Samuel Mearne in the British Library: BL 19 f 1; BL Davis 185; BL 83 l 3.

Book very tightly bound, unclear as to whether this is due to original binding, wear or later restoration.