A HISTORY OF HARTLEPOOL

First edition, first printing. Contemporary half brown calf and marbled paper boards, with gilt titles on a black label to the spine, and with borders in blind to to the spine and boards. All edges marbled. Red and green satin book marker. Half-title illustration, one folding map, four hand coloured plates, 14 black and white plates (one folding), two double-page family trees, two tables and 25 small black and white illustrations and various coats of arms throughout. A near very good copy, the binding square and firm, with rubbing and scuffing to spine and extremities. Somewhat toned to the closed text block. The contents, with an ownership bookplate, a small bookseller's label and an ink inscription named and dated to the front pastedown and another ink inscription to the illustrated half-title, are spotted throughout and with several instances of offsetting around the black and white plates. A small hole can be seen to page 11/12.

The author's first book, which established his reputation as an antiquary. After being released on parole from a prisoner of war camp in Paris, Sharp was allowed to return to England where he settled in Hartlepool and committed himself to the study of local antiquities. In the same year that his book was first published, Sharp, acting as mayor of Hartlepool, was knighted by future King George IV. He went on to publish various other works, including 'A Brief Summary of a Manuscript Formerly Belonging to Lord William Howard' (1819), and a poetry collection in 1828. (Edward Irving Carlyle for 'Dictionary of National Biography' (1897) Vol. 51.)