Edmund Brumfitt
@ebrumfitt.bsky.social
Dealer in rare books, mainly before 1820, mainly European. Plus other distractions.
A puzzle. This was printed in 1740, for the 'ceremony battesimali' of the 'Secondigenito' of Francesco III, Duke of Modena. He had had four children (of whom the first two died in infancy, by 1727. So it seems unlikely that any would be being baptised in 1740. Can anyone shed any light on this?
November 4, 2025 at 10:27 AM
A puzzle. This was printed in 1740, for the 'ceremony battesimali' of the 'Secondigenito' of Francesco III, Duke of Modena. He had had four children (of whom the first two died in infancy, by 1727. So it seems unlikely that any would be being baptised in 1740. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Getting ready for this weekend's Chelsea Book Fair. A list of some of what I am taking is at lists.ebrb.co.uk/chelsea2025
October 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Getting ready for this weekend's Chelsea Book Fair. A list of some of what I am taking is at lists.ebrb.co.uk/chelsea2025
Bluesky is full of coincidences. The author of this guide to rural domestic economy, now on my desk, was entirely unknown to me until this week. And now a new edition has just appeared of a 1788 novel of hers.
October 18, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Bluesky is full of coincidences. The author of this guide to rural domestic economy, now on my desk, was entirely unknown to me until this week. And now a new edition has just appeared of a 1788 novel of hers.
My next little list of recent acquisitions has bits and pieces of Italian theatre in it, including this: Metastasio's Siroe was very popular as an opera libretto, serving as the basis for operas by at least 35 known composers, including Handel and Vivaldi.
October 13, 2025 at 2:46 PM
My next little list of recent acquisitions has bits and pieces of Italian theatre in it, including this: Metastasio's Siroe was very popular as an opera libretto, serving as the basis for operas by at least 35 known composers, including Handel and Vivaldi.
Reposted by Edmund Brumfitt
Really looking forward to tomorrow night's crazy @londiniumchoir.bsky.social Bosch extravaganza. Our fabulous programme booklet is now online for a little light reading... I may have got a bit carried away! www.londinium-voices.org.uk/programme
October 9, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Really looking forward to tomorrow night's crazy @londiniumchoir.bsky.social Bosch extravaganza. Our fabulous programme booklet is now online for a little light reading... I may have got a bit carried away! www.londinium-voices.org.uk/programme
Feels like a week to think about constitutions. One of these was put into effect. The other was not put to a vote, and its proposer was arrested.
October 7, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Feels like a week to think about constitutions. One of these was put into effect. The other was not put to a vote, and its proposer was arrested.
Step aside Mozart: this is Austria's greatest contribution to humanity.
September 24, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Step aside Mozart: this is Austria's greatest contribution to humanity.
British Airways to the rescue with this phrase: any missed deadline will now be explained by requiring additional time to do it as quickly as possible.
September 22, 2025 at 5:01 AM
British Airways to the rescue with this phrase: any missed deadline will now be explained by requiring additional time to do it as quickly as possible.
All set for a slightly unexpected jaunt to the York Book Fair.
September 11, 2025 at 7:41 AM
All set for a slightly unexpected jaunt to the York Book Fair.
Reposted by Edmund Brumfitt
Reposted by Edmund Brumfitt
A lovely fresh copy in pink wrappers with original printed labels of Demoustier's Lettres à Émilie, sur la mythologie, tthrough which generations of French children learned the Greek myths, here printed by Renouard in 1803 Judging from the condition, I doubt this has gone anywhere near a child.
August 28, 2025 at 3:16 PM
A lovely fresh copy in pink wrappers with original printed labels of Demoustier's Lettres à Émilie, sur la mythologie, tthrough which generations of French children learned the Greek myths, here printed by Renouard in 1803 Judging from the condition, I doubt this has gone anywhere near a child.
Reposted by Edmund Brumfitt
Exciting news about the recent acquisition of a 1791 edition of Voltaire’s Candide. The edition is recorded – there are copies in Geneva and Louvain – but it is certainly rare. A Voltaire Foundation (voltairefoundation.wordpress.com) and @tayoxford.bsky.social blog coming soon!
August 19, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Exciting news about the recent acquisition of a 1791 edition of Voltaire’s Candide. The edition is recorded – there are copies in Geneva and Louvain – but it is certainly rare. A Voltaire Foundation (voltairefoundation.wordpress.com) and @tayoxford.bsky.social blog coming soon!
A propos of nothing in particular, I do like DC.
August 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
A propos of nothing in particular, I do like DC.
New arrival for any lovers of Mots d'Heures: Mousses, Rames. A 1784 method of learning English through a phonetic presentation of an English translation of Fénelon's Les Aventures de Télémaque. Bound to work.
August 22, 2025 at 1:26 PM
New arrival for any lovers of Mots d'Heures: Mousses, Rames. A 1784 method of learning English through a phonetic presentation of an English translation of Fénelon's Les Aventures de Télémaque. Bound to work.
Reposted by Edmund Brumfitt
!!! A church will be moved down the road on Tuesday!
It'll be live-streamed. It's wild. It's in Kiruna, Sweden's most northern town (I've been there): the whole town is being moved to get to iron ore under it.
The church is wooden and square, inspired by Sami tents.
lkab.com/en/events/th...
It'll be live-streamed. It's wild. It's in Kiruna, Sweden's most northern town (I've been there): the whole town is being moved to get to iron ore under it.
The church is wooden and square, inspired by Sami tents.
lkab.com/en/events/th...
The moving of Kiruna Church - LKAB
The move of Kiruna Church is a world-unique event and will take place over two days between 19-20 August 2025.
lkab.com
August 17, 2025 at 8:02 PM
!!! A church will be moved down the road on Tuesday!
It'll be live-streamed. It's wild. It's in Kiruna, Sweden's most northern town (I've been there): the whole town is being moved to get to iron ore under it.
The church is wooden and square, inspired by Sami tents.
lkab.com/en/events/th...
It'll be live-streamed. It's wild. It's in Kiruna, Sweden's most northern town (I've been there): the whole town is being moved to get to iron ore under it.
The church is wooden and square, inspired by Sami tents.
lkab.com/en/events/th...
Going through bits of paper and reminded how impressed I was that in Nancy they let people into the museum for free during the heat wave.
August 18, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Going through bits of paper and reminded how impressed I was that in Nancy they let people into the museum for free during the heat wave.
Finding all sorts of delights in a box I am going through. Duckling! Liebfraumilch! Potatoes in TWO forms!
August 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Finding all sorts of delights in a box I am going through. Duckling! Liebfraumilch! Potatoes in TWO forms!
Local celebrity cat has taken to basking on a different car roof each day. Not, it must be said, elegantly.
July 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Local celebrity cat has taken to basking on a different car roof each day. Not, it must be said, elegantly.
Time to dig these out of storage.
July 28, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Time to dig these out of storage.
It's time for a new list, of 25 books and manuscripts covering 150 years around the 18th century, including graphology, French protestants, Montesquieu, cosmology for children, the divine office, and more. Link in bio!
July 24, 2025 at 8:54 AM
It's time for a new list, of 25 books and manuscripts covering 150 years around the 18th century, including graphology, French protestants, Montesquieu, cosmology for children, the divine office, and more. Link in bio!
Never really got French gothic until today.
July 1, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Never really got French gothic until today.
Visited a colleague. Made a new friend.
June 21, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Visited a colleague. Made a new friend.
Seeing all these Father's Day posts made me go through some old boxes of my father's things. Along with the Yorkshire Post announcing the declaration of war in 1939 (on page 4), I found this. Any idea what the Taberdars' Room was?
June 15, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Seeing all these Father's Day posts made me go through some old boxes of my father's things. Along with the Yorkshire Post announcing the declaration of war in 1939 (on page 4), I found this. Any idea what the Taberdars' Room was?
Reposted by Edmund Brumfitt
