This ‘scrapbook of curiosity’ consists of 18th century original advertisements of Rare and Curious Books, Jests, Wits, Facetia, Books on Angling, Poetry from 1730 to 1771. The title page is written in neat, probably late-18th century manuscript

A compilation of over 170 advertisements for new publications, cut from a variety of daily, weekly and monthly periodicals of the mid-18th century. Many of the snippets ate dated, but the works from which they have been extracted are not identified. The publications advertised arte mostly of a humorous and occasionally scandalous nature. Among the works advertised are Free Thoughts on Seduction, Adultery and Divorce by 'A Civilian' (1760), The Romance of a Night; or, A Covent Garden Adventure (1762), and the infamous Harris' List of Covent-Garden Ladies, or Man of Pleasure's Kalendar (1771). Other works are devoted to charades, parlour games, practical jokes, tricks, jests, capers, and witticisms. Also included are some popular songs of the time, with engraved music. Examples include Jenny's Lamentation, The Forsaken Nymph, and The Coquet. The volume is illustrated throughout with vaguely relevant engraved plates extracted from publications; some of these also have a risqué quality, such as The Pretty Waterwoman, The Amorous Thief, and Ensign Rosebud reposing himself after the fatigues of the parade. There is no indication as to who compiled the collection, but the binding bears the coat-of-arms of the East India Company, and we might suppose it once belonged to an associate. Some later entries (c.1840s), extracted from booksellers' catalogues, have been added at the rear. With a bookseller's note dated July 1859 on the verso of leading front endpaper, describing the content and giving a coded price.