ARMY LIST. A run of 8 large paper copies 1785 to 1792 in crimson morocco gilt.

A List of the Officers of the Army and Marines, with an Index; a Succession of Colonels; and a List of the Officers of the Army and Marines on Half Pay. Also with an Index. 1785. Together with Uniform Copies for 1786 to 1792, 8 Vols. Large Paper Copies, Quarto [13 x 9 ins].

384pp. Contemporary full straight grain crimson morocco gilt with green title label gilt [ARMY LIST 1785], original boldly marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, spine darkened and damaged at head and tail but the boards with elaborate rolls including Greek key pattern with a few marks but still bright, hinges very sound and the the text block tight, the front free endpaper has a manuscript presentation “Presented to the Library by Sir A Halliday, Depy Insp Genl of Hospitals, 31st July 1833” together with an ink stamp of the Royal Army Medical College, the title page has the same stamp to the top margin with two stamps of “Fort Pitt Medical Library” [A short lived Fort neqar Chatham circa 1805-20] . Each of the other 6 volumes has the same binding [with a little variation in the treatment of the spines – urns or sunbursts]. The pagination of the remaining volumes is 1786 376pp, 1787 372pp, 1788 388pp, 1789 412pp, 1790 461pp. 1791 441pp, 1792 438pp. Each volume has another stamp to the margin of page 1. Four of the volumes have amendments in fine palace script, one has amendments in a less fine hand but with the added value of having the country in which the regiment was serving. The volumes are all sound but binding condition varies a little. 1790 has the following inscription on the title page ” William Henry, Duke of Clarence, Captain in the Royal Navy, Commander of His Majesty’s Ship Valiant, May 10th 1790“. Two volumes have the armorial bookplare of Leonard Morse FRS and one volume lacks a title label. This type of fine crimson binding with gilt decoration was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries with senior military men, popularised by the libraries of George III and the Royal Dukes.. These large paper copies were only produced in small numbers and Dr Halliday had royal connections as he was domestic physician to the Duke of Clarence [later William IV]. Halilday had served in Portugal and was present at Waterloo. This short run of the Army Lists, beginning just after the loss of America show its composition at a time one of the greatest upheavals in Europe. The French Revolution occurred in 1789 starting the testing time of the Revolutionary Wars. Elsewhere it was involved in the Mysore War in India. may24/1