HISTORICAL NOTICES OF OLD BELFAST AND ITS VICINITY (SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE LARGE PAPER & EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED, HAND-COLOURED DE LUXE EDITION) (SIGNED, WITH PROSPECTUS LAID IN); A SELECTION FROM THE MSS. COLLECTED BY WILLIAM PINKERTON, F.S.A. FOR HIS INTENDED HISTORY OF BELFAST, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS, LETTERS, AND BALLADS, O'MELLAN'S NARRATIVE OF THE WARS OF 1641, BIOGRAPHY OF MARY ANN M'CRACKEN, NOW FIRST PRINTED. WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Belfast: Marcus Ward & Co, Limited (Royal Ulster Works), 1896. Large Paper Edition, Signed, Limited 1 of 25 copies only. Hardcover. Very Good Minus in Good Only Dustjacket, in recent slipcase, marbled boards, edge-lined in linen. John and J.W. Carey. Large Quarto, 11 1/2 in.. X 9 1/8 in. De Luxe Large Paper Edition limited to 150 copies signed by R.M. Young, this copy one of 25 copies further enhanced by having plates hand-coloured by J.W. Carey. Beveled boards.

xii. 287, [1 (printer's slug], [3 (subscribers)], [1 (illustration], [12 )advts.)] pp. on hand-made Dutch (Van Gelder) paper, folding double-page map, 1 colored printed plate with gilt and silver highlights 8 additional plates (in this rare issue, exquisitely hand-coloured by John and J.W. Carey, and Photo-engraved by Joseph Lewis. Plates printed on Japanese vellum. This special De luxe Edition features a large, double-page copper engraving of 'A Celebrated Itinerant Hardware Merchant of the North of Ireland', and a chromo-lithograph of an ancient gold collar (both of these extra to the ordinary edition). Numerous illustrations throughout text drawn for the work by John and Joseph Carey, bound in crocodile skin pattern'damask, specially woven by William Ewart & Son of Belfast. Lettering in gilt and large medallion in gilt to front board and spine. Page edges untrimmed. Some relatively light foxing to damask covers, particularly top and bottom edges of boards and spine.

This copy is Number 9 (small letter "a" following the numeral-?-), numbered and signed by Young, and with a manuscript note on the limitation slip "Hand Coloured Copy"/ by J.W. Carey", apparently in Carey's hand.

Chip to top of dustjacket spine, 3/4 in. deep, across top of dustjacket spine, and wrapping around to top of front panel. General wear and crazing to paper spine of dustjacket, with a 1 1/4 in. split to paper along front dustjacket joint. General smudging and a handful of small ink spots to rear panel of dustjacket. Long crease from corner to corner to dustjacket rear panel - possibly an old repair. An authoritative and detailed source of history (various accounts) of certain key historical events in Belfast, and surrounding Ulster lands, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries.