Sam Bailey
@18thcenturysam.bsky.social
PhD in 18thc British erotica / Antiquarian bookseller at https://keelrowbooks.com // she/they
Some very clean offsetting in a Huguenot Utopian novel.
January 16, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Some very clean offsetting in a Huguenot Utopian novel.
Thesis submitted! 🍾🍾🍾
If you'd like to read something that contains both bibliographical formulae and discussions of rimming, then it may be for you!
If you'd like to read something that contains both bibliographical formulae and discussions of rimming, then it may be for you!
January 15, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Thesis submitted! 🍾🍾🍾
If you'd like to read something that contains both bibliographical formulae and discussions of rimming, then it may be for you!
If you'd like to read something that contains both bibliographical formulae and discussions of rimming, then it may be for you!
I wouldn't normally go to bat for Kipling but the pictorial paper wraps on this 1st British ed of 'The Phantom Rickshaw' are just tremendous.
Link: keelrowbooks.com/item/14704/t...
Link: keelrowbooks.com/item/14704/t...
January 12, 2026 at 4:40 PM
I wouldn't normally go to bat for Kipling but the pictorial paper wraps on this 1st British ed of 'The Phantom Rickshaw' are just tremendous.
Link: keelrowbooks.com/item/14704/t...
Link: keelrowbooks.com/item/14704/t...
@elizaaudacis.bsky.social has returned from the US with perhaps the best belated Christmas gift I could ask for: a crisp first edition of Fredson Bowers' 'Dog Owner's Handbook'.
January 8, 2026 at 4:11 PM
@elizaaudacis.bsky.social has returned from the US with perhaps the best belated Christmas gift I could ask for: a crisp first edition of Fredson Bowers' 'Dog Owner's Handbook'.
Reposted by Sam Bailey
Hitting the road for the first book fair of 2026...
Join us this weekend for the January York book fair, a bite sized version of the well loved September fair 👇🏽
Sat 10th Jan 10am - 4.30pm Knavesmire Suite, York Racecourse, YO23 1EX. For free tickets & more, visit yorkbookfair.com
Join us this weekend for the January York book fair, a bite sized version of the well loved September fair 👇🏽
Sat 10th Jan 10am - 4.30pm Knavesmire Suite, York Racecourse, YO23 1EX. For free tickets & more, visit yorkbookfair.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Hitting the road for the first book fair of 2026...
Join us this weekend for the January York book fair, a bite sized version of the well loved September fair 👇🏽
Sat 10th Jan 10am - 4.30pm Knavesmire Suite, York Racecourse, YO23 1EX. For free tickets & more, visit yorkbookfair.com
Join us this weekend for the January York book fair, a bite sized version of the well loved September fair 👇🏽
Sat 10th Jan 10am - 4.30pm Knavesmire Suite, York Racecourse, YO23 1EX. For free tickets & more, visit yorkbookfair.com
On February 19 I'll be speaking alongside the excellent @heggledepeg.bsky.social at @keelrowbooks.bsky.social about aspects of early modern book history.
I'm truly hoping to supply quality slop for the hogs.
If you're in the area, you can sign-up here: www.tixtree.com/e/seminar-in...
I'm truly hoping to supply quality slop for the hogs.
If you're in the area, you can sign-up here: www.tixtree.com/e/seminar-in...
January 6, 2026 at 3:10 PM
On February 19 I'll be speaking alongside the excellent @heggledepeg.bsky.social at @keelrowbooks.bsky.social about aspects of early modern book history.
I'm truly hoping to supply quality slop for the hogs.
If you're in the area, you can sign-up here: www.tixtree.com/e/seminar-in...
I'm truly hoping to supply quality slop for the hogs.
If you're in the area, you can sign-up here: www.tixtree.com/e/seminar-in...
Reposted by Sam Bailey
Applications due January 16th!
Apply for research fellowships at Houghton Library! Work with collections including Printing & Graphic Arts! Bother me irl with your ideas, questions, and quandaries! (It’s not a bother.)
Apply for research fellowships at Houghton Library! Work with collections including Printing & Graphic Arts! Bother me irl with your ideas, questions, and quandaries! (It’s not a bother.)
January 5, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Applications due January 16th!
Apply for research fellowships at Houghton Library! Work with collections including Printing & Graphic Arts! Bother me irl with your ideas, questions, and quandaries! (It’s not a bother.)
Apply for research fellowships at Houghton Library! Work with collections including Printing & Graphic Arts! Bother me irl with your ideas, questions, and quandaries! (It’s not a bother.)
A 1720 copy of one of Defoe's major sources for his Journal of the Plague Year (1722), formerly owned by a local sailor's asylum with a very sweet cymbiform book stamp. Perhaps someone thought this would be cheery reading for the afflicted?
December 29, 2025 at 9:28 PM
A 1720 copy of one of Defoe's major sources for his Journal of the Plague Year (1722), formerly owned by a local sailor's asylum with a very sweet cymbiform book stamp. Perhaps someone thought this would be cheery reading for the afflicted?
'Scouts in Bondage', a wholesome novel about the values of scouting from the author of 'Trawler Boy Dick'. The title features prominently in Michael Bell's compilation of 'Titles that Might Cause Vulgar Minds to Misapprehend their Content'.
December 22, 2025 at 11:21 AM
'Scouts in Bondage', a wholesome novel about the values of scouting from the author of 'Trawler Boy Dick'. The title features prominently in Michael Bell's compilation of 'Titles that Might Cause Vulgar Minds to Misapprehend their Content'.
It's not often that the outside of a photo album is more attractive than the contents, but this embroidered binding might be the exception...
As far as we can determine, the photographer was a talented amateur (likely an American woman) who travelled extensively in Europe at the fin de siècle.
As far as we can determine, the photographer was a talented amateur (likely an American woman) who travelled extensively in Europe at the fin de siècle.
December 19, 2025 at 7:35 PM
It's not often that the outside of a photo album is more attractive than the contents, but this embroidered binding might be the exception...
As far as we can determine, the photographer was a talented amateur (likely an American woman) who travelled extensively in Europe at the fin de siècle.
As far as we can determine, the photographer was a talented amateur (likely an American woman) who travelled extensively in Europe at the fin de siècle.
I've now worked with a number of cookery manuscripts of the 18th/19th century, and I'm a fan of this one because we confidently identified the author (right down to finding her gravestone), and her curry recipes seem actually competent and use a variety of spices.
December 18, 2025 at 11:02 AM
I've now worked with a number of cookery manuscripts of the 18th/19th century, and I'm a fan of this one because we confidently identified the author (right down to finding her gravestone), and her curry recipes seem actually competent and use a variety of spices.
I think one of my all time favourite books that I've described: a nineteenth-century 'metaphysical story' about a man who can travel to planets inhabited by characters from novels. This copy is from an occultist library in Edinburgh, and we've only found two institutional copies worldwide...
December 17, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I think one of my all time favourite books that I've described: a nineteenth-century 'metaphysical story' about a man who can travel to planets inhabited by characters from novels. This copy is from an occultist library in Edinburgh, and we've only found two institutional copies worldwide...
In the spirit of Christmas I have allowed myself *two* footnotes that begin with the word 'consider' and contain long quotations from novels of questionable relevance to the argument.
December 16, 2025 at 2:08 PM
In the spirit of Christmas I have allowed myself *two* footnotes that begin with the word 'consider' and contain long quotations from novels of questionable relevance to the argument.
Once again 'a copy of Newton's first publication in Germany in battered contemporary sheep' is at the top of every child's Christmas wishlist, and I'm glad to say we're the only retailer where that is available for purchase: www.abebooks.co.uk/first-editio...
Geographia Generalis, In qua Affectiones Generales Telluris, explicantur Summâ curâ quam plurimis in locis Emendata, & XXXIII. Schematibus Novis, Aeri incisis una cum Tabb. aliquot quae desiderabantur...
1st Edition - Ienae [i.e. Jena]; Heinr. Chirstoph. Crokeri [i.e. Heinrich Christoph Cröcker (d. 1727)], 1693. - 1693 - The stated fourth edition, and the first recorded edition published in Germany. O...
www.abebooks.co.uk
December 12, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Once again 'a copy of Newton's first publication in Germany in battered contemporary sheep' is at the top of every child's Christmas wishlist, and I'm glad to say we're the only retailer where that is available for purchase: www.abebooks.co.uk/first-editio...
I tried Gemini on some tricky marginal annotations I'm working on. I'm not a good manuscript scholar but it took much longer than me to produce a transcription that ignored most of the manuscript and inserted a word that wasn't there. I think I'm not going to give up reading my sources just yet.
November 28, 2025 at 10:48 AM
I tried Gemini on some tricky marginal annotations I'm working on. I'm not a good manuscript scholar but it took much longer than me to produce a transcription that ignored most of the manuscript and inserted a word that wasn't there. I think I'm not going to give up reading my sources just yet.
This conference has been absolutely transformative for me every year that is has run. The continued commitment to hybrid is fantastic, I'll be attending online! Apply while you still can!
Deadline extended! You have until Monday October 20th to put in an abstract! #queerbibliography #transbookhistory
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
Your challenge for this weekend is to put in an abstract for Queer Bibliography 2026. It's what all the cool kids are doing.
The theme is Space, Place, Community (widely understood, certainly not limited to the South). CFP: shorturl.at/XAVJ0; Submit: forms.gle/XD7FgrrStp3j...
Athens GA and online
The theme is Space, Place, Community (widely understood, certainly not limited to the South). CFP: shorturl.at/XAVJ0; Submit: forms.gle/XD7FgrrStp3j...
Athens GA and online
October 15, 2025 at 10:05 AM
This conference has been absolutely transformative for me every year that is has run. The continued commitment to hybrid is fantastic, I'll be attending online! Apply while you still can!
Reposted by Sam Bailey
Deadline extended! You have until Monday October 20th to put in an abstract! #queerbibliography #transbookhistory
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
Your challenge for this weekend is to put in an abstract for Queer Bibliography 2026. It's what all the cool kids are doing.
The theme is Space, Place, Community (widely understood, certainly not limited to the South). CFP: shorturl.at/XAVJ0; Submit: forms.gle/XD7FgrrStp3j...
Athens GA and online
The theme is Space, Place, Community (widely understood, certainly not limited to the South). CFP: shorturl.at/XAVJ0; Submit: forms.gle/XD7FgrrStp3j...
Athens GA and online
October 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Deadline extended! You have until Monday October 20th to put in an abstract! #queerbibliography #transbookhistory
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
Surely one of the great ODNB epithets?
!['Wilson, Edward [called Beau Wilson] (d. 1694), murder victim and subject of alleged sexual scandal'](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vfhmsfpymjc5oa47h3fpauju/bafkreidnse4fvb2krlihniky56ymhv2sekskt2wsw3ke3knmmplqnku46q@jpeg)
October 13, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Surely one of the great ODNB epithets?
Reposted by Sam Bailey
anyway, apropos of nothing, if anyone needs provide editing, proofreading, or archival/special collections/bibliographical research services, I have those skills that can be used on a freelance basis and otherwise
October 3, 2025 at 3:51 PM
anyway, apropos of nothing, if anyone needs provide editing, proofreading, or archival/special collections/bibliographical research services, I have those skills that can be used on a freelance basis and otherwise
On my desk today: victorian Frankenstein x Dickens x Zola fan fiction; and a sammelband of pamphlets about ghosts, adult circumcision, and slavery.
September 27, 2025 at 4:47 PM
On my desk today: victorian Frankenstein x Dickens x Zola fan fiction; and a sammelband of pamphlets about ghosts, adult circumcision, and slavery.
Today's task: a love poem in cipher at the back of an otherwise quotidian local woman's memorandum book.
September 19, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Today's task: a love poem in cipher at the back of an otherwise quotidian local woman's memorandum book.
Reposted by Sam Bailey
Our next Bibliographical Skills Workshop is taking place at the University of Stirling, on 28 October 2025: ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...
Bibliographical Skills Workshop
Learn the basics of how to identify and describe early modern printed books.
ies.sas.ac.uk
September 16, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Our next Bibliographical Skills Workshop is taking place at the University of Stirling, on 28 October 2025: ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...
I'm really delighted to say that following submission of my thesis in December, I'll be starting as a full-time cataloguer and bookseller at the Keel Row Bookshop, supported by a traineeship from the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association. Expect to see many more books here!
September 15, 2025 at 7:37 AM
I'm really delighted to say that following submission of my thesis in December, I'll be starting as a full-time cataloguer and bookseller at the Keel Row Bookshop, supported by a traineeship from the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association. Expect to see many more books here!
Hot take but it may be inadvisable for booksellers to describe 'Samuel Mearne bindings' on books printed 40 years after his death.
September 5, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Hot take but it may be inadvisable for booksellers to describe 'Samuel Mearne bindings' on books printed 40 years after his death.
I've been reading a lot of introductions to get a feel for writing my own, and I fear this thesis may fall into the classic genre of 'book about the turn of the 18thc that begins with long quotation of questionable relevance from Pepys' Diary/London Spy/The Spectator.'
August 7, 2025 at 9:25 AM
I've been reading a lot of introductions to get a feel for writing my own, and I fear this thesis may fall into the classic genre of 'book about the turn of the 18thc that begins with long quotation of questionable relevance from Pepys' Diary/London Spy/The Spectator.'