On the front marbled flyleaf of the incunable binding is the armorial bookplate of The John Rylands Library. It bears the arms of three families, those of Pilkington in and those of “Rylands impaling Tennant” in the shield: Per pale, dexter Azure a cross patonce Or, on a chief of the last an open book proper; sinister guttee de poix two bars invected per pale Sable and Gules, each bar charged with three bezants. The shield is surmounted by an esquire’s helm with a closed visor facing left, crowned with a silk torse (force or wreath). The mantling provides a decorative setting for the arms, ornamented with foliage and two tassels. Above is the crest, a figure of a bearded man with a hat, a mower with his scythe standing on an oak branch, charged on his breast with a cross as in the Pilkington arms. The crest is surrounded by a scroll inscribed with the Latin motto: NIHIL SINE LABORE, spiralling outwards on either side. The motto also appears upon the pages of the open book in the full coat of arms. On the upper left side is the monogram: JR, entwined by the motto scroll. Below the shield, a cartouche bears the inscription: THE JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY, and the date: 1894. At the lower left corner is the artist’s signature: C.W. Sherborn R.P.E. fecit.
description
On the front marbled flyleaf of the incunable binding is the armorial bookplate of The John Rylands Library. It bears the arms of three families, those of Pilkington in and those of “Rylands impaling Tennant” in the shield: Per pale, dexter Azure a cross patonce Or, on a chief of the last an open book proper; sinister guttee de poix two bars invected per pale Sable and Gules, each bar charged with three bezants. The shield is surmounted by an esquire’s helm with a closed visor facing left, crowned with a silk torse (force or wreath). The mantling provides a decorative setting for the arms, ornamented with foliage and two tassels. Above is the crest, a figure of a bearded man with a hat, a mower with his scythe standing on an oak branch, charged on his breast with a cross as in the Pilkington arms. The crest is surrounded by a scroll inscribed with the Latin motto: NIHIL SINE LABORE, spiralling outwards on either side. The motto also appears upon the pages of the open book in the full coat of arms. On the upper left side is the monogram: JR, entwined by the motto scroll. Below the shield, a cartouche bears the inscription: THE JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY, and the date: 1894. At the lower left corner is the artist’s signature: C.W. Sherborn R.P.E. fecit.
Description
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