London: John Camden Hotton, 1866. x, 536 p. 8vo. Illustrated by J. Larwood. Colour frontispiece. 100 examples of signboards illustrated in black and white. Index. Maroon cloth with gilt decoration to front board and spine. Wear to outer corners and to head and heel of spine. Ex libris to front pastedown. Light foxing and soiling to outer page edges; foxing to pages towards boards.
Includes chapters on historic and commemorative signs, heraldic and emblematic signs, signs of animals and monsters, birds and fowl, fishes and insects, flowers, trees, herbs, biblical and religious signs, saints and martyrs, trades and professions, house and table, dress (plain and ornamental), geography and typography, humorous signs, as well an appendix on Bonnel Thornhill's Signboard Exhibition of 1762.
"The field of history is a wide one, and when the beaten tracks have been well traversed, there will yet remain some of the lesser paths to explore. The following attempt at a "History of Signboards" may be deemed the result of an exploration of one of these by-ways."