ANNALS OF THE EMPIRE, FROM THE REIGN OF CHARLEMAGNE. By the Author of THE AGE OF LEWIS XIV [Voltaire]. Volume II only, of two Volumes.

LONDON: Printed for A. Millar, MDCCLV [1755].

RARE EARLY AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS' TICKET / BOOKPLATE of WILLIAM PRICHARD, BOOKSELLER / PRINTER / PUBLISHER, is on the front pastedown. It measures 2.75 x 1.5 inches. It reads:

"SOLD BY / WILLIAM PRICHARD, / At the Corner of Gay-Street, opposite the Market, / BALTIMORE." The book was likely sold c.1780.

Hardcovers, calf leather covered boards, gilt framing to the front and rear boards, five raised spine bands, 12mo. 4x6.5 inches, 300 pages.

Condition: The covers are scraped, rubbed, missing pieces of the leather covering (exposing boards beneath), chipped at the top of the spine, etc., but have been professionally conserved making them solid and well bound. Internally, there are children's doodles on the front pastedown (a couple touching the bottom of the booksellers' ticket), "No. 49" written at the top of the front pastedown, and two early signatures on the front free endpaper; there is toning and foxing to the endpapers; the text pages are nice, lightly age toned, some creased corner tips, a spot or two here and there, overall complete, tight, bright, clean and clear. A nice, presentable copy.

A RARE and HISTORIC artifact of EARLY AMERICAN BOOKSELLING. I can't remember the last time I saw William Prichard's Baltimore booksellers' ticket.

About WILLIAM PRICHARD, Bookseller and Publisher (from the Library of Virginia (.gov) and other Internet sites):

******William Prichard, b.(?) d.(c.1815), was a prominent 18th-century American bookseller, stationer, and publisher who operated primarily in Philadelphia and Richmond, with a brief stint in Baltimore. His locations and business addresses changed due to shifting economic climates.

He began by operating a circulating library in Philadelphia c.1782. He soon expanded into bookselling, printing and publishing. He was successful and became a key figure in the mid-Atlantic book trade, importing European literature to supply books to the newly formed United States.

Prichard opened a secondary bookstore, with 1,000 books, in Baltimore in 1780. The bookstore reportedly did not survive long in Baltimore, but little is known about it due to the scarcity of records..

Prichard moved his entire Philadelphia operations to Richmond in 1792, due to the rising competition in Philadelphia. In mid 1795 he entered into a partnership with John Davidson in order to open a New York branch. This expansion caused him severe financial difficulties. In 1799 he ended his partnership with Davidson and permanently closed the firm's printing and publishing operations. Prichard continued to run a single Richmond bookstore for several years. He died in Richmond, Virginia, c.1815.******

About the doodles on the front pastedown - I actually like to see children's doodles in 18th century books, especially those bought or printed in America, it shows the books were not considered rare artifacts, but rather as items to be read and shared, even with children.