ANTIQUE 1848 The Chevalier Bayard Medieval French Knight First Edition London For Sale

Book Details
The History of the Chevalier Bayard by Edward Cockburn Kindersley (1819-1907) was published by Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans Paternofter Row, London in 1848. Antique First Edition.Author Background
Edward Cockburn Kindersley was born into a prominent British family with significant ties to the British Empire. He was the son of Sir Richard Torin Kindersley, a notable lawyer who was knighted for his service as the Vice-Chancellor of the Court of Chancery. For nearly fifty years, Edward worked as a clerk in the House of Lords and this position gave him access to the highest level of parliamentary proceedings of the British Empire. He wrote out every single word by hand using a quill or dip pen, and was in charge of organizing and protecting these vital government documents with extreme care to ensure not a single page was ever lost or damaged. His career provided him with the financial independence and intellectual discipline necessary to undertake the rigorous task of translating 16th-century French texts into English. His position also gave him access to the elite social and literary circles of London, ensuring that his work would be published by the prestigious Longman firm and printed by the renowned Chiswick Press, which targeted a sophisticated audience of collectors and historians.Story Outside The Story
Edward's most enduring contribution to the literary world was his translation and compilation of the life of Pierre Terrail, The Chevalier Bayard, one of the most celebrated figures in French military history, known universally as the Knight without Fear and without Reproach. Bayard served three successive French kings, Charles VIII, Louis XII, and Francis I during the Italian Wars, a period of constant European conflict. He achieved legendary status not just for his tactical brilliance and physical bravery, but for his strict adherence to the code of chivalry at a time when such ideals were fading. His most famous exploit occurred at the Battle of Garigliano in 1503, where he reportedly defended a bridge single-handedly against two hundred Spanish soldiers, allowing the French army to retreat safely. Edward researched, translated, and organized the historical records of a man who had been dead for over three centuries, preserving the life of a true fallen hero.Collectible Notes
This antique first edition was produced with a mottled calfskin cover made of hand-sponged leather treated with acid or dye to achieve the unique blotched pattern. Front and back boards feature a single gilt-line border around the edges, adding a subtle touch of elegance to the speckled hide. The decorative spine has five raised bands and six compartments. Within these compartments are intricate pointille designs created through hand-tooling with heated brass stamps. Gold leaf was applied to each design element through a labor-intensive process and then burnished to a high luster. Book features a black topstain with a vibrant yellow saffron wash on the side and bottom edges that glistens in the light. Pages were hand-sewn into the binding and the marbled endpapers were manually hydro-dipped to produce the intricate blue and brown stone-like swirls. The craftsmanship of this book was executed entirely by hand, utilizing the traditional manual techniques of a professional master bookbinder from the mid-Victorian era.Condition
Good antique condition. The mottled calfskin front and back boards are clean and feature a single gold gilt-line border around the edges. Book corners and edges are rubbed from shelf wear and the marbled endpapers remain bright and vibrant. The decorative spine has expected wear for a book that is 178 years old. The front board shows mild cracking in the seam of the front endpaper but remains fully attached. The back board is attached but loose from the spine joint, a common aging characteristic of calf leather. Black topstain has retained its deep color. Side and bottom edges are covered in a saffron yellow wash that shines in the light. Hand-sewn binding remains strong and fully intact inside the book. 252 pages are age-toned with a few ink smudges and light foxing, and are clean from markups, tears and stains. First few pages have tiny creases in the upper corner and blank pages at the back of the book are uneven. All black and white illustrations are well-preserved.Carefully packaged and shipped with care from our smoke-free home. Now available to readers and collectors around the world through International Shipping. Measures 8" long, 5.5" wide and 1" deep. Weighs 1 lb. 3.8 ounces.