Königl. Groß-Brittannischer und Churfürstl. Braunschweig-Lüneburgscher Staats-Kalender :auf das Jahr 1798. Lauenburg [Germany]

WONDERFUL GEORGE III ROYAL EMBROIDERED BINDING ON ANNUAL STATES CALENDAR.

[32], 264, 34, [16] printed pages. All edges gilt. Glossy green endpapers. Slight browning on first and last printed pages. Bright and clean copy, free from obvious defects. 11 x 18 cm.  Contemporary German or English binding of silver-wire, satin thread and silk embroidered binding, rebacked preserving contemporary front and back boards. Upper board with central Royal cypher of George iii, with four sequin and silver star corners and scrolling silk border with leaves in alternating light and darker greens and berries on stems, all on rubbed and slightly worn horizontal silver satin thread ground. Back board with vignette of silver thread and silk woven basket with foliage of different green leaves surrounding brilliant pink flower and overflowing with trail of daisies, all resting lopsidedly on leafy flourishing branch above vibrant and verdant background. Similar to the front board, with four sequin and silver star corners and scrolling silk border with leaves in alternating light and darker greens and berries on stems, all on rubbed and slightly worn horizontal silver satin thread ground. Some of the silver wire-work on the stars and on the Royal cypher have become loose. Colours of silk threads slightly faded but surprisingly intact. Edges and corners rubbed. Drab but expertly replaced spine.

George III (1738-1820) , the eldest son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha became heir to the throne on the death of his father in 1751, succeeding his grandfather, George II, in 1760. He was the third Hanoverian monarch and the first one to be born in England and to use English as his first language. George III is widely remembered for two things: losing the American colonies and going mad.  One of the most cultured of monarchs, George started a new royal collection of books (65,000 of his books were later given to the British Museum, as the nucleus of a national library) and opened his library to scholars. WorldCat can only locate copies within Germany & nowhere else worldwide. Rare 222 year old embroidered Royal binding, in good condition.