Book of Common Prayer printed by Whitchurche March 1549 commonly called first prayer book of Edward VI (1549, 1844 reprint)

The Maser copy of a beautiful Victorian era reprint also displayed is opened to the Communion Service. 1844 was a particularly fruitful time for prayer book design. That year William Pickering, the London Publisher famed for the beauty of his typography, issued an elegant reprint of six historic prayer books, all in folio size, based closely on the prayer books of 1549,  Merbecke’s 1550 Prayer Book Noted, 1552, 1604, 1637 and 1662. But they are not facsimiles. Printing historians call Pickering the first conspicuous figure in the emerging separation of book design from printing. Pickering employed the Chiswick Press, founded in 1811, headed by Charles Whittingham and noted for careful printing. The first volume in the series reproduced the 1549 prayer book. Pickering insisted on good design, good materials, and precise and careful presswork. The ornate title-page borders were designed and engraved in wood by Mary Byfield. The title is printed in black-letter type. Throughout, the book is enhanced by the use of beautiful calligraphic style initial letters. The book is bound in full vellum over boards with gold fillet border and black leather spine labels.