Eighteenth Century Heraldry and Social Hierarchy Kimber New Peerage Volume I 1784 Recording Arms and Noble Descent

Edward Kimber

Book

Kimber, Edward. The New Peerage; or, Ancient and Present State of the Nobility of England, 1784, provides a systematic account of the genealogies, titles, and heraldic identities of the English peerage during the late eighteenth century, a period in which lineage and inherited status structured political authority and social hierarchy. Expanding upon earlier editions, the work compiles detailed records of peers by tenure, summons, or creation, including their familial descent, marriages, and issue, alongside heraldic insignia that visually reinforced aristocratic identity. The volume supports research into British social structure, genealogical documentation, and the institutional role of nobility in governance prior to nineteenth-century reform.

Kimber, Edward. The New Peerage; or, Ancient and Present State of the Nobility of England. Containing a Genealogical Account of All the Peers; Whether by Tenure, Summons, or Creation. London: W. Owen, 1784. Volume I only (of three). Small octavo, 482 pages, bound in full leather. Includes 38 pages of armorial plates at the front, illustrating coats of arms, crests, supporters, and mottoes associated with noble families. The text presents extensive genealogical entries detailing lineage, collateral branches, and familial relationships within the English aristocracy. An armorial bookplate is affixed to the interior.

Issued as a revised and expanded edition of the earlier 1766 publication, the 1784 volume reflects continued interest in codifying noble lineage during a period when genealogical accuracy carried legal and social significance. Such compilations functioned as reference tools for matters of inheritance, title legitimacy, and social standing, and were used by scholars, officials, and members of the gentry. Surviving examples of both the original and revised editions appear limited in institutional holdings, indicating constrained distribution and long-term retention within private collections. Leather binding worn with bumped corners; front cover detached; initial leaves loose; rear board fragile; pages toned with moderate foxing; overall in fair condition.

Item #16843

Price: $550.00