Paris when it sizzles
In addition to the Hyde Collection books and manuscripts, the bequest from Mary Hyde Eccles included money for the support of the collection, such as to hire curators and catalogers (thanks, Lady Eccles!) as well as funds for new acquisitions to the collection. One such recent arrival is this remarkably bound copy of W. D. Fellowes’ Paris, During the Interesting Month of July 1815 — the month of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo and abdication, as reported by an Englishman living there. Fellowes was a friend of Hester Piozzi’s, and presented this copy to her. As was her custom, she made several annotations in the margins. The binding dates from almost a century later, done by the famous London bookbinders Riviere & Son. They invented a style called the Cosway binding, named after the English miniaturist Richard Cosway, for the painted ivory miniature inset in the front cover.
