The Edwardses of Halifax : The Making and Selling of Beautiful Books in London and Halifax, 1749-1826

__The Edwardses of Halifax__ is the definitive account of a family of Britain’s leading bookbinders, publishers, and antiquarian booksellers.

For three-quarters of a century, the Edwards family of Halifax were among Britain’s leading bookbinders, publishers, and antiquarian booksellers. The Edwardses of Halifax is the definitive account of the family business, begun by William Edwards in Halifax, Yorkshire, and expanded to London by his sons James and Richard. James, one of the most distinguished antiquarian book collectors and booksellers in Europe, scoured the Continent for rare books during the Napoleonic Wars and served as a secret agent for his friend Earl Spencer, the First Lord of the Admiralty. His brother Richard published an edition of Edward Young’s Night Thoughts with prints designed and engraved by William Blake, the most ambitious commercial work that Blake ever undertook.

A comprehensive history of this remarkable family, complete with illustrations of the family’s most important publications, The Edwardses of Halifax will be valuable for readers interested in the buying, selling, and collecting of antiquarian books and the publishing of illustrated books in late Georgian and regency eras.

"For three-quarters of a century, the Edwards family of Halifax were among Britain's leading bookbinders, publishers, and antiquarian booksellers. The Edwardses of Halifax is the definitive account of the family business, begun by William Edwards in Halifax, Yorkshire, and expanded to London by his sons James and Richard. James, one of the most distinguished antiquarian book collectors and booksellers in Europe, scoured the Continent for rare books during the Napoleonic Wars and served as a secret agent for his friend Earl Spencer, the First Lord of the Admiralty. His brother Richard published an edition of Edward Young's Night Thoughts with prints designed and engraved by William Blake, the most ambitious commercial work that Blake ever undertook. A comprehensive history of this remarkable family, complete with illustrations of the family's most important publications, The Edwardses of Halifax will be valuable for readers interested in the buying, selling, and collecting of antiquarian books and the publishing of illustrated books in late Georgian and regency eras."-- From publisher's website Contents 7 List of Appendices: Bibliographies 11 Illustrations 13 Note on References 17 Acknowledgments 19 Preface 21 Introduction 27 Part I. William Edwards, Paterfamilias 39 Part II. James Edwards, the Medicean Bookseller 65 Part III. Richard Edwards, Publisher of Church-and-King Pamphlets and of William Blake 175 Part IV. Thomas Edwards, an Important Provincial Bookseller 217 Notes 225 Index 267