Facsimiles of National Manuscripts of Ireland, selected and edited under the direction of the Right Hon. Edward Sullivan, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, by J. T. Gilbert, secretary of the Public Record Office of Ireland; and Photozincographed by command of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, by Major-General Sir Henry James, director-general of the Ordnance survey. [ Four parts in five volumes, Parts 1- 4(2), complete set ]

Public Records Office of Ireland, Dublin, first edition, 1874 - 1884. 5 volumes, elephant folio, title-pages in brown and red, or black and red, with vignettes, top edges gilt, 56 cm,. plates, maps, plans, charts, facs, tables, genealogical tables, coats of arms, including numerous double and folding plates. The superb record of major Irish manuscripts, an early success for Sir Henry James' photozincography reproduction. A complete set, comprising vol. 1 to c. 1150; vol. 2 c. 1150 to c. 1300; vol. 3 c.1300 to c. 1550; vol. 4 part 1 c. 1550 to c. 1620; vol. 4 part 2 c. 1620 to c. 1720. The volumes include extensive introductions, the facsimiles, transcriptions of manuscripts in Latin, Gaelic, Anglo-Norman and English, with translations into English. Some of the documents collected by Gilbert were destroyed when the Public Records Office was burned down in 1922, making this work an essential record. As an indication of the nature of the contents, Part I includes reproductions of content from: the Domhnach Airgid, the Carthach, the Book of Durrow, the Book of Kells, the Book of Dimma, the Book of Moling, and the Book of Armagh, Liber Hymnorum; The Saltair of S. Ricemarch; Leahhar na h-Uidhre, or Book of the Dark Gray Cow; Book of Leinster; the Leabhar Breac, or Speckled Book, Leabhar Buidhe Lecain, or Yellow Book of Lecain; the Book of Lecain Mac Firbisigh; the Book of Ballymote, and the Book of M'Carthy Riabhac. Provenance: H.P. Kraus (bookseller): Volumes I-IV have his small booklabel ('Ex-libris H.P.K.'). Members of the Adair family: Volumes I and III have two small armorial bookplates of members of the Adair family, one lettered Loyal au Mort and Manibus Victoria Dextris, the other Loyal au Mort and the initials HEA on the front pastedown. Thomas Lalor Gregg: Volumes II, IV and IV(2) have one small armorial bookplate lettered Fortis et Fidelis and Thomas Lalor Gregg on the front pastedown. Overall a Very Good set in the original bindings (the hinges and joints professionally and neatly restored) with minor wear, the gilt on the covers and backstrips still bright: rarely found in such condition as the great weight of these volumes tended to result in extensive damage to the bindings. Volume I has foxing to the two titles, the Preface and the tissue guards, otherwise foxing in the set is very limited.