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Rare Books 43
PATTERN BOOK OF A QUAKER WEAVER
51. [KENT, Abraham.] Abraham Kent his book. [A weaver’s pattern book.]
[Lincolnshire, c.1710.] Manuscript, ink on paper. 4to (17 x 21.5cm) [74] pages, with weaving patterns and related
notation throughout, 9 leaves with blank versos backed with card in the nineteenth century for preservation, 7 mid-nineteenth
century pen drawings of houses in the vicinity of Boston penned on blank versos and unused sections, printed eighteenth
century advertising handbill (21 x 15cm) for “Elizabeth Finch, and Co. clock and watchmakers, (no. 171)
Fenchurch Street, London” (two small holes affecting text) pasted inside rear cover, pages with some edge fraying, 3
leaves with sections excised, one leaf with small hole, a few sections where ink has eaten through penwork, some browning
and staining, overall in a good state of preservation in original darkened vellum wrapper consisting of an old indenture,
front cover with faint ink title “Abraham Kent his book”, with name repeated in ink on a number of pages inside.
This scarce book of English weaving patterns in manuscript contains approximately fifty different designs
with related notation. Each pattern is titled, with names including “jackanapes chaine”, “charm cross &
rose”, “rose and looking glass”, “Jerusalem cross” and “Betty Dunstons Ffiguer.” Of particular interest is a
design titled “Abraham Fullers dream” which is something of an optical illusion. The title may be a reference
to the vision of the Quaker Abraham Fuller (d.1694) as described in The testimony of Abraham Fuller…
(London, 1687). This appears likely because this pattern book was compiled by a Quaker weaver and dyer
named Abraham Kent (d.1740) who lived in various locations in the vicinity of Gainsbourough near
Lincolshire throughout his career. One of the pen drawings of buildings in Boston, Lincolnshire that have
been added to the book in the nineteenth century is appropriately titled “Old Quaker Meeting House
1700”.
£3250
LIVERPOOL TO NEW YORK BY STEAMER
52. [INMAN LINE.] The Liverpool, New York & Philadelphia S.S. Company Inman Line.
Forwarding passengers to all parts of the United States and Canada … carrying the United
States mails … the undernoted or other vessels are intended to sail from Liverpool as under
in 1867 – For New York …
[Bristol 1867.] Large folio broadside (28 x 43cm) large woodcut of steam ship at head, blank margins with some fraying,
two corners torn touching a few letters but not affecting sense of text, wear and a few small tears along old folds.
This rare broadside advertises steam ships sailing
for New York from Liverpool and back in
September 1867 on the Inman line. Issued by the
agent C.W. Robins of Queen Square, Bristol, a
wealth of information is included: cabin prices;
examples of the food served at each meal; a list
of neccessaries for the voyage; medical provision
on each ship. Potential travellers are advised:
“dogs not taken on any terms”. Details are also
provided of sailings from Queenstown, Cork
which would have carried Irish emigrants to
New York. The Inman line was one of the leading
nineteenth century British passenger shipping
companies in the North Atlantic.
A search of OCLC did not trace this, or any
comparable examples of broadsides advertising
the Inman Line.
£400