Robin Hood's garland. Being a compleat history of all the notable and merry exploits perform'd by him and his men ...

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[Folk Songs]: Robin Hood's garland. Being a compleat history of all the notable and merry exploits perform'd by him and his men ... Adorn'd with twenty-seven neat and curious cuts, ... Chuer Dicey, London, 1760?. .

Binding: Softcover (in hardover folder). Book Condition: Good+ Condition. Size: Around 7" or slightly taller - Duodecimo (12mo). 87 pages. Item Type: Book.

Full Title: “Robin Hood’s Garland. Being a Compleat History of all the Notable and Merry Exploits perform’d by him and his Men on divers Occasions. To which is added, A Preface, giving a more full and particular Account of his Birth, &c. than any hitherto published. [Woodcut] [6 lines of verse] Adorn'd with Twenty-seven Neat and Curious Cuts, proper to the Subject of each Song. London: Printed by Chuer Dicey, in Bow-Church Yard: Sold also at his Wholesale Warehouse in Northampton.” Pagination: [4],87,[1], which matches the copy held by the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. Signatures: 2 leaves unsigned, A-E⁸, F⁴. ESTC N13332. The ESTC reports two copies: The one at the Bodleian and one at UCLA. WorldCat shows the UCLA copy (OCLC Number 15584159).

There are 27 traditional folk songs telling the story of Robin Hood, plus one new song appended at the end. The first printing of a collection of folk songs about Robin Hood under this title appears to have been Gilbertson's London printing in 1663. It proved to be a popular work, since there were around 30 editions by at least 13 printers in the 97 years between 1663 and 1760, which is the estimated year of publication of this edition. This lot also includes two recent UK-printed booklets about Robin Hood.

The rag-based paper is supple and bright, showing darkening around edges where the paper (cut different sizes for different pages) has been exposed. Eight of the woodcuts have been hand-colored. The booklet retains its original stitching into the paper wrapper, the front cover of which is darker and tattered around the edges and the rear cover of which is blank with some notations in 18th century hands. The last leaf has a 2" tear at the bottom of the gutter and a 1" horizontal tear about at the middle of the page, out from the gutter. The booklet is held by a red cord into a binder of red buckram over boards with the title "Robin Hood's Garland" in gilt on the front cover. Scattered foxing, but text mostly clean. Deckled edges (rough cut). 

Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: 0 lbs 7 oz. Category: Antiquarian & Rare; Folk Music; Britain/UK; 18th century; Literature & Literary. ISBN: No ISBN. Inventory No: 1182.
PRICE: $US 550.00