Bidspirit auction | 1844-c.1845. Two Volumes. Clarke, Adam.

1844-c.1845. Two Volumes. Clarke, Adam. The Traveller's Prayer and The New Testament. - A pair of mid-19th century religious pocket books bound in decorative embossed cloth. The first volume is titled The Traveller's Prayer: A Discourse on the Third Collect for Grace, in the Morning Service of the Liturgy of the Church of England, authored by Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.A.S. The title page identifies it as being ”From the Fourth London Edition” and published in New York by G. Lane and C. B. Tippett for the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Conference Office, 200 Mulberry-street, 1844. It was printed by J. Collord. The volume is bound in publisher's brown cloth with a blind-embossed scrolled border. The second volume is a pocket-sized edition of the New Testament. It lacks a primary title page, but includes a list of contents titled ”The Names and Order of the Books of the New Testament, and the Number of Chapters in each Book,” followed by the text beginning with ”The Gospel According to St. Matthew.” This volume is bound in dark grey cloth with elaborate blind-embossed foliate and scrollwork designs on the boards and spine. Both volumes were produced for the American religious market and reflect the popular pocket-sized devotional formats of the era. Left volume measures 4.5 inches by 3 inches. Right volume measures 4.25 inches by 2.75 inches. Both volumes exhibit significant age-related wear. The cloth bindings show fraying and small losses at the spine ends and corners (photos 2, 4). There is visible surface soiling and staining to the covers of both books (photos 1, 7, 8). Internally, the pages of both volumes show moderate to heavy foxing and dampstaining (photos 3, 5, 6, 9, 10). The New Testament lacks the main title page (photo 3). The bindings remain secure despite the exterior cloth deterioration.