1895 Popular Astronomy | Fine Prize Binding

Popular Astronomy: A Series of Lectures Delivered at Ipswich by Sir George Biddell Airy, K.C.B, Astronomer Royal, printed 1895. Awarded by St. Edmund's College as a prize for mathematics to Thomas Bishop, dated July 4, 1906, signed by the Prefect of Studies. 

St. Edmund's is located in Hertfordshire, England, and is famous for being the oldest continuously operating Catholic school in the country (founded in 1568). 

A full leather brown binding with a gilt-stamped heraldic crest and coat of arms on the cover that reads 'Avita Pro Vide,' which means "For the Faith of our Fathers" or "For Ancestral Faith". The school historically selected this motto to honor the deep convictions and resilience of its Catholic founders during the post-Reformation era. The crest directly honors the school's patron saint, St Edmund of Abingdon, who served as the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 13th century.

There is an intricate border on the front and back covers, 5 raised bands on the spine, tooled details in the 6 separate panels, all page edges are marbled in a blue, red, and yellow collorway, endpapers are vibrantly marbled, turn-ins feature gold dentelle, and the heraldic crest is featured on the interior prize book plate. Includes a fold-out with a map and astronomical diagrams, diagrams throughout the book. 

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