I am having such a busy month! This past weekend we moved my daughter to Richmond, a feat that took up lots of time and energy in the last week. We also saw the Richmond relatives for Father’s Day and my nephew had this for his iPad–it’s a cover that looks like a vintage book.

In search of something to talk about today, I went to Chambers Book of Days for today and found this entry– (it all seemed to fit….)

THE ROXBURGHE CLUB

This fraternity—the parent of the whole tribe of book-printing clubs which have occupied so broad a space in the literary system of our age—was formed on the 17^thof June 1812. The plant shot forth from a hot-bed of bibliomania, which had been created by the sale of the Duke of Roxburghe’s library. On that occasion Earl Spencer, the youthful Duke of Devonshire, the Marquis of Blandford, and a whole host of minor men, lovers of old and rare books, were brought together in a state of high excitement, to contend with each other for the rarities exposed under the hammer of Mr. Evans, in the Duke of Roxburghe’s mansion in St. James’s Square. On the 16^th of June, a number of them had chanced to dine together in the house of Mr. Bolland (afterwards Justice Bolland), on Adelphi Terrace. They had to look forward to the exposure on the ensuing day of a most rare and remarkable volume, a folio edition of Boccaccio, printed by Valdarfer of Venice in 1471. They agreed to meet again at dinner on the ensuing evening, at the St. Alban’s tavern, in order to talk over the fight which would by that time have taken place over the body of Valdarfer; and they did so.

Earl Spencer, the unsuccessful candidate for the volume (which had sold at £2260), occupied the chair; Dr. Dibdin acted as croupier. There were sixteen other gentlemen present, all of them possessors of choice libraries, and all keen appreciators of scarce and curious books. The lively Dibdin tells us that they drank toasts which. were as hieroglyphical characters to the public, but’ all understood and cordially greeted by those who gave and those who received them.’ We may presume that the immortal memory of William Caxton was one of the most prominent; that sundry illustrious booksellers, and even notable binders (bibliopegists they called them), were not forgotten. The club was constituted by the persons there assembled; but by the time they had had two annual assemblages, the number was swelled to thirty-one, at which it was fixed.

It was by an after thought that the club commenced its system of printing and reprinting, each member fixing upon some precious article, of which only as many copies were thrown off as afforded one to each, presented gratuitously. By this happy plan the friendly spirit of the brethren was of course promoted, at the same time that some valuable examples of ancient literature were rescued from oblivion. In the Scottish imitative societies—the Bannatyne Club, Maitland Club, &c.—the same plan was adopted; while in others of later institution the reprints have been effected by an equal annual subscription.

The Roxburghe Club still exists today and has produced a remarkable number of books over the years.

If you could have any antique book what would it be? Or do you own an antique book? (I own an 1815 edition of La Belle Assemblee!)

I feel sort of silly following Diane’s lovely post on the “Threads of Feeling” exhibit (which sounds wonderful and heartbreaking!) with a frivolous pic-heavy meringue, but I am on vacation and haven’t much time!!  (plus I do love a wedding, especially a royal one…)  Last weekend Princess Madeleine of Sweden (who really has had a sad, romance novel-heroine-ish life before) married NYC banker Christopher O’Neill, and there were tiaras and gowns aplenty.  Let’s take a look and judge!  (and for more info and images, this is a great blog….)

First, the beautiful bride in her Valentino gown!

I think she looks lovely/ethereal/summery/princessy!  I have to be a bit judge-y on that weird dust ruffle thing on the bottom (which was totally unnecessary!), and I was kinda hoping to see the stunning Cameo tiara (which once belonged to Empress Josephine!), but instead we got her everyday fringe tiara.  (I wish I had an everyday tiara…).  But really pretty.  And I will take those earrings now, ok, thx.

For me the day was stolen by Crown Princess Victoria (older sister of the bride) and her stunning lavender-ish gown and Princess Lilian’s tiara.  (for more about Princess Lilian’s bittersweet, romantic story, this is a good place to look)  Plus I squee with happiness every time I see that little Princess Estelle.

What do you think about Madeleine’s gown??  How does it compare to your all-time favorite royal wedding looks?  (My all-time greats would be Princess Margaret, Crown Princess Victoria, maybe Kate…)

In my second book, Just Say Yes, the hero participates in a village festival in which all the able-bodied men move a large stone in the village center in order to bring the village continued good fortune.  This is something that actually took place annually in an English village.  I ran across this odd activity in a book of English festivals, but I’ll be darned if I can find it now to give you the reference.

I was reminded of this recently when the wonderful Loretta Chase mentioned Hone’s Every-Day Book on her Two Nerdy History Girls Blog.  This book describes itself as an “Everlasting Calendar of Popular Amusements, sports, pastimes, ceremonies, manners, customs, and events, incident to each of the three hundred and sixty five days in past and present times.”  In short, it’s the ideal place to look for an interesting tidbit to spice up your story.  The 1827 edition comes in two volumes of which I only have the first (but remain hopeful for obtaining the second half of the year).

Bartholomew Fair 1825

It’s a delight to just page through the book and pick out an event.  For example, on September 5, there is a long description of a visit to Bartholomew Fair in Stowe (or Smithfield as they appear to be interchangeable in this account) in 1825.  The description encompassed many shows including the Largest Child in the Kingdom when young, the Handsomest Child in the World, The Persian Giant, The Fair Circassian with Silver Hair, The Female Dwarf, Two Feet Eleven Inches High, Two Wild Indians from the Malay Islands in the East… I could go on (and on).

You might learn that March 5 is St. Piran’s day (there are a lot of saints in this book, most described as “Romish”). St. Piran is, apparently, an Irish hermit who moved to Cornwall, had a grave made and then died in it.  His day is reported to be a favorite with tinners as tradition has it that some secrets regarding the manufacture of tin was given by St. Piran.

The Every-Day Book covers everything from the laying of the first stone of London Bridge to Bastille Day.  I can hardly wait to get my hands on volume 2.

More concise and focusing more on festivals, but less forthcoming about actual years in which they were celebrated is Yearbook of English Festivals.  This might be where I got the stone moving ceremony, but I can’t find it right now.  My copy of this one was published in 1954 and features some of the more esoteric festivals celebrated in England.

Modern-day well-dressing

According to the Yearbook, well-dressing, or well-flowering, is observed in many English villages in the summer, particularly in Derbyshire and Staffordshire.  This event involves decorating wells or springs with flower petals, allegedly to give thanks for its purity.  No one seems really sure where it originated. I love it nonetheless.  And, it’s still going on today. Welldressing.com has an extensive calendar.

I heartily recommend these fascinating compendia of yearly events and festivals.  Not only are they great sources for settings and scenes, they’re a lot of fun just to browse.